So you can talk huh?
by Rusty Raccoon
Summary: Pinocchio's tale ends with him having become a real boy and getting his happy ending. The rest of the boys on Pleasure Island however were not so lucky. What became of the boys that could still speak as donkeys? This fic explores one possibility for three boys including Alexander. Please note that I have made substantial changes to the story.
1. Chapter 1

Pinocchio is a film famous for one unresolved plot thread, mainly, what became of all of the boys that became donkeys?

We have a film that ends with countless boys undergoing a transformation that is in many ways far more life changing then Pinocchio becoming a real boy.

We also saw several boys who hadn't quite finished changing into donkeys and could still speak.

What became of those boys/donkeys? This fic explores what might have become of three of them.

While this takes place in the same AU as my other story 'A Donkey in Human clothing', you don't need to read that story in order to understand what's going on here.

I have two OCs I'll be following although I'm also including Alexander as a lot of people care about him and I want to give him a chance to tell his story.

Note that this story has depictions of homosexuality as well as some (non explicit) nudity. If either offends you then it might be better for you to stop reading now.

* * *

Pleasure Island was an island paradise that promised everything. People said it to be a place without rules or adults telling him what not to do. There was no work or school, only fun and pleasure. You could do whatever you wanted, even things adults forbade like drinking beer or smoking cigars. The best part was that it was all free.

It felt like a dream come true.

14-year-old Bobby was amoung the many boys on the ferry to the island.

Most of them spoke of the things they planned on doing on the island.

The younger boys spoke of indulging in junk food, going on rides and playing games. It was innocent stuff. Their enthusiasm seemed odd until Bobby remembered that most of them likely never got to do these things and had to be good, perfect little boys all of the time. The chance to let go and spend even just one night being out of control must have been impossible to resist.

Bobby had been more then happy to say accept the offer. His family didn't have much money and the chance to do the things that he assumed only the richest of the rich kids could do was too impossible to resist.

The older boys spoke of (and mentioned to the younger boys) more adult fun such as smoking cigars, drinking beer and gambling.

Some of the older boys spoke in hushed tones. Whatever they spoke of seemed to be a lot of fun.

The sights that greeted Bobby upon arriving at the island were unlike anything he'd ever seen. There were rides everywhere. The scent of popcorn, cotton candy and other treats filled the air, giving off an almost intoxicating aroma.

A voice chanted about how everything was free and encouraged the boys to indulge.

Bobby didn't understand how anyone could afford to build all of this or how much of it was even possible. He worried that it was all too good to be true.

Seeing so many happy boys running off the ferry screaming with joy and anticipation allayed Bobby's fears. The island looked to be a place of joy, not pain. How could a place that seemed so happy have anything but good intentions?

For all he knew he may never again get an opportunity like this. He was not about to let doubt hold him back.

He ran onto the island with all of the other boys. This was going to be a night to remember!

* * *

Bobby spent the first few hours enjoying various park attractions that many of the other boys were enjoying. He went on some rides—including a maerrygoround that for some odd reason had donkeys rather then horses—and played several different games one might expect to find at a fair before going through a funhouse and house of mirrors.

After that, the fun grew a bit naughtier. He spent some time in a model house that proclaimed itself opened for destruction. He had no idea just how much fun smashing things could be! It was a joy knowing he could do it without having to worry about getting into trouble or smashing something someone owned.

By the time it was getting later, he noticed the crowds were thinning and wondered where the boys could be going.

He saw some discarded articles of clothing among the streamers, balloons and confetti that littered the streets. The idea that some of the boys had decided that clothing was optional made Bobby chuckle. There was having fun and there was _having fun_.

With less younger boys around, Bobby found wanting to try out some of the more adult pleasures the other boys spoke of.

Bobby came from a house with multiple bothers and sisters. Having time to himself was a luxury Bobby so seldom experienced that he couldn't remember the last time he'd had it.

The lack of privacy, the biological desires all boys went through at or around Bobby's age and others telling him that such desires—especially acting on them—were sins resulted in Bobby being more then a little frustrated.

With the crowds growing thinner almost by the minute, it was looking as though Bobby was soon to have the privacy he desired.

He wasn't sure however just what he could do with said privacy.

The scent of tobacco and sound of laughter led Bobby to two older boys. One had black hair, the other, red. Both boys were shirtless and leaned up against a stand.

"Hi," Bobby said. "I never tried a cigar before."

Bobby felt older and more confident when around the younger boys. Around these two however, Bobby felt a lot smaller.

The two older boys both looked at Bobby as they smoked their cigars.

The black haired boy looked at the red haired boy, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Want to try a puff of my cigar?" The black haired boy asked

Bobby gulped. He knew no one back home would know but at the same time, he still felt reluctant.

"I dunno."

"It won't hurt you, it's just a cigar," the boy said.

He handed Bobby the cigar. Bobby looked at it, unsure if he should try it. People always told him that giving into peer pressure was a bad idea. He'd already come this far. This was after all, just one cigar. It wasn't as though was planning on taking up smoking.

Bobby put the cigar in his mouth, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He liked both the taste and the way it made him feel.

"Pretty nice, huh?" The black haired kid asked.

Bobby looked at the cigar. "Yeah, it's kinda nice."

He held out the cigar to give it back to the boy.

"You're all right kid," the black haired boy said. "You can keep it. My name's Gordon and this is Peter."

A pang of envy went through Bobby as he looked Peter up and down. Even though Bobby liked girls, he couldn't help but admire Peter's looks.

"Geeze kid, ya interested in me or something?" Peter asked.

Bobby blushed then gulped. "No, I just wish I could be strong like you guys."

The boys looked at each other and laughed.

"Relax kid, you don't have to lie to us," Peter said. "What's yer name anyway?"

"I'm Bobby."

"Come on, you can hang out with us if you want. Let's go get some more cigars", Peter said.

Bobby looked at Peter and then at the cigar.

"Go ahead, take another puff," Peter said.

Gordon nodded. "Seriously, life is too short to deny yourself fun and pleasure. Besides, you liked it the first time. Remember why we're here."

Bobby smiled and nodded before looking back at Peter, who smiled and nodded. Bobby took a long puff. It made him feel silly but also a little dizzy. He couldn't help but giggle. For a moment, he had a mental image of his mother scolding him, telling him that what he was doing was wrong and would get into trouble. He almost expected her to jump out of nowhere and yell at him, taking the fun away.

He sighed, why couldn't she let him have this one little thing?

"What's wrong kid?" Gordon asked.

"I keep thinking my Mom is gonna yell at me," Bobby said. "It's like I want to do more but she's not letting me."

"There's nothing wrong with having some fun," Gordon said. "You can't let the adults take all of the fun out of things when they're not even here."

Bobby looked at the cigar and then back at Gordon before looking at Peter.

"Imagine going back to our boring old lives without doing everything you want to," Peter said. "You'll want to buck yourself!"

"Buck?" Gordon asked.

"I meant kick," Peter said with a grin.

Bobby chuckled. Maybe Peter was right. This was a once in a lifetime experience. He needed to let go.

The trio walked back into a main street as Bobby smoked the cigar and Peter finished his.

"Guys, can I ask you something?" Bobby asked.

"Sure kid," Peter said.

"I keep feeling like there's another kind of fun that they won't let me have back home," Bobby said.

Gordon whispered something in Peter's ear.

"We'll show you something in a little while," Peter said. "It's great. Once you try it, you'll wish you knew about it for a long time."

"What is it?" Bobby asked.

Peter looked at Gordon and they both grinned.

"You'll see kid," Gordon said.

"So, where are we going?" Bobby asked.

"To find something else that will help you relax," Peter said.

As they walked, Bobby heard another boy walking behind them. The boy laughed and ran off. Bobby swore that he heard clopping. When he looked to see where the animal that made the sound was, Bobby saw neither animal nor boy.

"That was weird, where'd the sound of hooves come from?" Bobby asked.

"Who knows," Peter said.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Gordon said.

"Where do you think all of the other boys went?" Bobby asked.

Peter shrugged his shoulders.

"Probably went to sleep or something," Gordon said.

"Relax, they have to have gone somewhere," Peter said.

Bobby swore he heard a donkey braying somewhere in the distance. It seemed odd as other then the donkeys that carried the Coach to the ferry. Bobby didn't recall see any real donkeys anywhere on the island.

They'd finished their cigars by the time Peter seemed to have found what he was looking for.

"Over there! Now that's more like it," Peter said.

Peter ran with Gordon and Bobby following until they came to a group of large kegs on a stand. Bobby noticed that the nozzles were each in the shape of a donkeys head.

"Finally, some beer," Gordon said with a huge smile.

"Come on Bobby, we'll never get to have this back home until we're older," Peter said.

Bobby rubbed his chin. "How come it has a donkey's head on it? I saw other fake donkeys before."

Gordon shrugged his shoulders. "The guy that runs this place must have a thing for donkeys."

Peter chuckled. "Just be glad the beer comes out of their mouths."

"I know it's weird, but it's free," Gordon said. "I'm not gonnabe picky."

"You ever try beer Bobby?" Peter asked.

Bobby shook his head.

Gordon looked at Peter. "Looks like we need to show him how fun it is."

Peter nodded and they filled glasses for themselves and for Bobby.

"Come on, try it," Gordon said.

Bobby raised the glass to his mouth and took a sip. He wasn't all that crazy about the taste.

"It's okay I guess," Bobby said.

Gordon shrugged his shoulders. "You get used to the taste. Though the taste isn't why you drink beer."

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked.

"Drink some more and you'll see," Peter said.

Bobby tried another few sips. He watched as Peter and Gordon downed the entire contents of their mugs in single gulps. They both laughed before pouring another mug full.

He saw how happy the beer made Peter and Gordon feel. He wanted to experience that for himself. He fought back his dislike of the taste as he drank the rest of the contents of the mug.

It was then that he started feeling a sensation similar to being dizzy but in a more enjoyable way. He also felt giddy and a little more willing to misbehave. He'd never before felt anything like this. It was a strange yet wonderful feeling. A smile crossed his face as he poured himself another beer.

"So, what did you guys want to show me?" Bobby asked.

Peter and Gordon looked at each other and grinned. They downed their second mugs and put the mugs down. Bobby watched as both boys removed their shoes, pants and socks before also removing their underwear.

Bobby made sure to keep his eyes on their faces or at the lowest, their chest.

"Wait, won't we get into trouble for this?" Bobby asked.

Peter laughed. "Why would we? There are no rules here. That fox guy even encouraged us to do this!"

"It's warm enough and it's fun, so why not?" Gordon asked.

Bobby nodded.

"By the way kid, don't be afraid to take a look. We're not ashamed of our bodies. Remember, they said no rules," Peter said.

Bobby gulped. He wasn't quite ready for that but maybe soon. He resumed drinking his second mug.

That was when things took a turn for the outright bizarre.

Bobby watched as both Peter and Gordon's ears grew longer while brown fur covered the outsides and light brown the insides. Within seconds, their ears impossible to identify as anything but those of a donkey.

Peter and Gordon turned around. Bobby could only watch as they both gained long brown fur covered tails tipped with black tassels.

He looked at the beer with a confused look. Never before had anyone told him that beer could make him see silly things like that!

Gordon and Peter filled and drank another mug of beer before they walked off with Bobby following.

As they walked, Gordon and Peter were laughing at almost everything. Even Bobby admitted that things seemed sillier.

By the time Bobby had finished his glass, he was feeling a desire not only to disrobe (even if just his shirt) but to get on all fours and bray. He was feeling too silly to question why he'd feel such a specific desire.

It was then that Peter looked at Gordon's ears.

"Nice ears donkey boy," Peter said.

"Nice ears? That's a nice tail," Gordon said.

They both giggled.

Bobby was feeling a bit more comfortable with seeing them naked. It was something they'd never be able to get away with it back home. Bobby was still fully clothed. He corrected that situation somewhat by removing his shoes, socks and shirt.

"You guys still didn't tell me about that fun thing, unless being naked is it," Bobby said.

"That's part of it," Peter said.

"You're not going to hurt me are you?" Bobby asked.

"This isn't about pain," Peter said.

Gordon laughed. "Think we should?"

"Remember where we are," Peter said. "Why wouldn't it be okay? Anyway, we can stop if they say to."

"I just wish we didn't have to get dressed again," Gordon said.

"Yeah, it's a drag we can't be like this all of the time," Peter said.

Bobby was about to laugh and dismiss what little worry still remained. This was great! Just as he was about to remove his shorts, the already bizarre situation grew worse.

Gordon touched and then ran his hand and up and down one his ears.

"Hey neat it's like I have donkey ears," Gordon said.

Bobby could only watch as brown fur—lighter on Gordon's chest and jaw—covered his body.

"Oh wow, I've heard of growing extra hair when you get older but I've never seen anything like this," Peter said.

Gordon looked down at his body.

"Is that fur? What the heck is happening to me?" Gordon asked.

"I wonder if something else is gonna change?" Peter asked with a sly grin.

Bobby scratched his head and looked back and forth. This was real? How could that be possible?

He could only watch as Gordon's hands shook for several seconds before balling into fists as the skin and nails of both hands changed, merging his fingers and twisting both of his hands until they'd become hooves.

"Now I have hooves? These things are gonna make it impossible to…"

Gordon was unable to finish the sentence before he brayed.

Bobby gasped at the sound. As impossible as it seemed, Gordon was turning into a donkey!

"You're turning into a donkey!" Peter said.

Gordon's face was next to change. He grinned goofily.

"What kind of weird joke is this?" Bobby asked.

Bobby remembered the sound of hooves from before. His previous desire to bray combined with that sound and what he'd just witnessed painted a terrifying picture of what could have happened to the other boys.

Gordon hiccupped and belched. "It's a funny joke! Come on, one of you guys should ride me like the donkey I am!"

He knelt down as though to go onto all fours. Whatever was changing his body seemed to be a step or two ahead. His entire body convulced as before Bobby eyes, not only did Gordon's legs became the hind legs of a donkey, but his proportions changed into those of a donkey, leaving him unrecognizable as having ever been anything but.

Bobby didn't know if it was the beer or something else but Gordon and Peter didn't seem the least bit bothered by this.

"Man, you're a real donkey! This is wild," Peter said.

"Come on, ride me," Gordon said.

Bobby watched as Peter laughed before he climbed onto Gordon's back.

"I've never rode a donkey bareback before," Peter said.

Gordon grinned goofily before he brayed.

"Giddy up," Peter said.

Gordon brayed a couple of times. Soon, Peter was laughing as though this was just another of the island's attractions. Gordon walked for a while With Bobby following.

Peter's laughter stopped when they came upon a mirror. Gordon's intoxicated state seemed to dissipate almost instantly when he saw his reflection.

"Hey, wait a second, this isn't right," Gordon cried. "Get off of me!"

Peter did as Gordon asked. Gordon tried to stand only to fall back onto all fours with a clop.

He brayed several times. A look of fear crossed his face. When he brayed again, the fear only seemed to grow stronger.

"Gordon, what's wrong, can't you speak?"

Gordon shook his head. He again tried to stand only to fall back on all fours. The look on his face went from a confused fear to outright terror. He started bucking as though he were trying to fight something as he started to bray seemingly beyond his control.

"No; this can't be real! You can't really be…"

Peter felt his altered ears and tail.

"But that means that I'm changing too and…"

Peter looked at Bobby.

"How come you're not?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's because I drank less beer," Bobby said.

Peter brayed several times. He clasped his mouth before his face changed into that of a donkey. Bobby gasped when he saw that Peter's red hair was gone. A black mane simular to Gordon's had relaced it.

Gordon was still braying and bucking.

"No, this is crazy, this is impossible," Peter cried. "This was supposed to be fun!"

"I don't know," Bobby said. "Come on Gordon, you can change back right? It's just a joke right?"

Gordon managed to control his braying. He looked at Bobby. The desperation on Gordon's face betrayed his fear. He brayed as he shook his head.

"But, how can this happen? It's impossible!" Bobby cried.

Peter touched his face and then his ears before tugging at his tail.

"Come on Gordon, you gotta say something," Peter said. "This can't be happening!"

Peter looked at Gordon and then down at his body.

"How come I'm all itchy all of a sudden?" Peter asked.

Peter scratched all over his chest and sides before fur the same color as that which now adorned Gordon's body covered his own. Moments later, his hands quivered as they became hooves.

"No, please no," Peter cried. "I don't want to be a donkey!"

Gordon could only bray in protest as the force changing Peter's body finished the job.

"You gotta run Bobby. Hurry, before you change too," Peter said.

Bobby noticed that Peter's voice sounded deeper and was in fact, getting deeper.

"But please, don't leave us like this," Peter cried.

"I won't leave you guys," Bobby said.

Peter's face quivered and he grimaced before he shook his head and started braying and bucking. Gordon watched Peter buck and bray before Gordon's fear once again overcame him and he started braying.

Bobby looked back and forth between Peter and Gordon. Minutes earlier, they were two strong older boys that Bobby could look up to. To see something so easily turn them into the panic striken donkeys they'd become was terrifying.

"Guys, you gotta calm down or they'll hear you," Bobby said. "Maybe we can run and get help."

Both looked at Bobby and managed to get their braying under control. They brayed at him as though they were trying to tell him something. More brays echoed through the wind. They showed the trio that what was happening was not isolated.

Bobby's ears felt warm and he felt something odd above his rear end. He looked into the mirror and saw his human ears became donkey ears as he sprouted a donkey tail!

"We'd better hurry," Bobby said.

Peter and Gordon nodded and the three ran as fast as they could. Bobby wasn't sure what would happen if they weren't fast enough and he changed all of the way. He also wasn't sure what was going to happen to them if they could escape. Could they find a way to change back? If not then what would happen to them? How would Bobby explain his ears and tail? He knew he needed to focus on escaping before he worried about those questions.

As they ran, guilt over Peter and Gordon having fully changed into donkeys burdened Bobby. If they hadn't of changed first, Bobby may have never known this was going to happen with enough warning to escape before it was too late. It seemed unfair that he was about to escape with enough of his humanity intact that he was still more or less human and could resume his life.

Peter and Gordon could well be doomed to live out their lives as donkeys. Bobby knew they'd directed him to the beer and had drank more but it that didn't seem to matter much to him at that point. He knew he was far from innocent in all of this.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the cliffs surrounding the island. Save for the ears and tail, Bobby was still human.

Bobby looked at Peter and Gordon. He was about to climb when a disturbing question entered his mind.

"How are you guys gonna climb?" Bobby asked.

Peter and Gordon brayed in response before hanging their heads and drooping their ears.

"No, I won't I leave you guys behind," Bobby said.

Bobby wanted to escape and go home. He knew however that the guilt over escaping and leaving the others behind (even if he had no real choice) would haunt him forever.

The force that had changed Peter and Gordon seemed to sense Bobby's guilt.

Bobby's feet felt strange. Soon after he started having trouble balancing on two feet. When he took a few steps, he heard and the sound of hooves cloping on the cobblestone. He gasped when he looked down to see that not only were his feet were hooves but that brown fur had covered his legs.

His face tingled and felt warm. Bobby felt around his mouth only to realize that his mouth was now a fuzzy donkey muzzle.

Peter and Gordon were watching Bobby change. Both had managed to stop braying. Their faces showed their concern. Despite their older age, as the little donkeys they'd become, they appeared more vulnerable. Bobby felt a need to comfort them. He walked between then and put his arms around each of them.

"It's not your fault," Bobby said. "You guys showed me the beer and stuff but I still chose to smoke and drink. I also chose to come here. I'd prolly have still turned into a donkey even if I didn't drink or smoke."

They both looked at Bobby and nodded. Bobby couldn't believe how innocent and cute they looked.

To Bobby was scared was an understatement. He didn't know what was going to happen once he'd finished changing. At the same time however, his guilt was fading.

Bobby's hands were next to change. Watching and feeling his hands change into hooves was one of the strangest, most disturbing and frightening things Bobby had ever experienced. Bobby could only stare at his hooves. Knowing he now had parts nature never intended him to have been wasn't nearly as terrifying as knowing his hands were _gone_.

He stook a few steps backward.

"I'm going to be a donkey! This is crazy; I'm going to a _donkey!_"

His skin itched as donkey fur sprouted all over his body.

Bobby cringed as his balance changed even more. His proportions and seemingly everything else about his body that wasn't changed already began to change. It was an odd sentation to say the least.

He closed his eyes as he felt himself fall onto all fours.

When the odd sensations faded, Bobby opened his eyes. He didn't need to a mirror to know that he was now a donkey wearing shorts.

Gordon and Peter looked at Bobby. They seemed bigger now. Both again seemed older.

"What do we do now?" Bobby asked. "Why did we become donkeys?"

Gordon and Peter both blinked.

"I wonder why I can still talk," Bobby said.

Gordon and Peter looked at eachother and then at Bobby.

"They must have wanted this to happen to us! We gotta hide or something so they don't find us," Bobby said. "Maybe if we wait long enough, they'll give up."

Peter and Gordon nodded and brayed. Bobby wished he could understand what they meant. Even if they'd forgotten how to speak, Bobby hoped they were still at least trying to convey some meaning.

Bobby wondered how long it would be until he was braying as He led the way back to some stands.

Articles of clothing littered the park. Some of the stands appeared as though someone had kicked them and a lot of the lights were out, making the park much darker. Ribbons, discarded food and other assorted debris also littered the area.

The scent of popcorn and other treats however still lingered.

"Come on, we can hide behind one of the stands. Maybe they'll forget about us," Bobby said.

Bobby walked over to a stand, stood on his hind legs to peered over it. There seemed to be enough room to fit all three behind if they stayed close. When he turned around, Gordon and Peter were gone.

The sound of them braying a few seconds later made Bobby wonder what they were going on about. Bobby followed the braying until he saw a beer keg. Gordon held onto the nozzle to get the beer to pour while Peter drank from it.

"Guys, are you crazy? They're gonna see us," Bobby said.

Indeed, they were more or less asking for someone to catch them. Bobby however, could see what they must be thinking. They were already donkeys. If it was too late and they'd fallen for a trap then they might as well have fun while they still could.

Gordon and Peter stopped. Peter grinned goofily, making Bobby chuckle. He and Gordon switched places before Gordon drank a fair bit of beer.

When they were done, they looked at the keg and brayed at Bobby.

"I think I've had enough guys. Besides, drinking it might make me bray," Bobby said. "Maybe I can still help you guys as long as I can talk so I shouldn't drink any more. Come on, we'd better hide."

Gordon and Peter nodded. They followed Bobby—both walking in a way that betrayed their inebriation—until they reached the stand. It took some effort but all three were able to get over the counter and behind it.

Bobby felt awkward being this close to Peter and Gordon. Sure, Bobby still had his pants but Peter and Gordon had nothing. If Bobby was still a boy it might be okay but with all having become donkeys, this was as awkward as it would have been if they were all still boys.

Making things more embarrassing was that they were also starting to _smell_ like donkeys. It wasn't that bad of a smell–Bobby wondered if turning into a donkey made him feel that way—but it did serve as a reminder of what they'd become.

They stayed silent and as motionless as possible for what felt like some time before they heard something approaching.

Before any of them could react, strange beings that seemed to be living shadows grabbed the counter and pushed it aside, exposing the three.

The creatures grabbed the three before they were able to run. They carried the three toward an unknown destination. Their grip felt like iron. Despite struggling, none of them were able to escape.

Bobby considered begging for mercy. He had no idea how they'd react if they knew he could still speak and decided it might be best to stay silent.

They'd carried them for a moderate distance before Bobby heard a lot of braying. The same smell he'd dectected behind the counter was a fair bit stronger here.

Bobby saw that they'd arrvied at the docks. The beings dropped them off at the end of a line of donkeys. Bobby ended up behind Peter and Gordon. He looked back and forth as he considered running. The creatures however were smarter then they seemed. They closed a door behind Bobby and stood guard behind the door with their arms crossed.

He knew that the fun was over and that they were in big trouble. Facing his mother grounding or giving him extra chores was one thing. This trouble was far more serious much scarier. He didn't know what was going to happen next but had a feeling it wouldn't be good.

Donkeys did the hard work humans couldn't do. It was often work that involved heavy repetitive labour and was thankless with the humans expecting the donkeys to work and work with little to no interest into how the donkeys felt.

Adults often cauitioned kids against beings donkeys. Even if one didn't become one for real—a fate Bobby thought impossible until now—the kinds of jobs a symbolic donkey had to do were just as bad.

The reality of being donkeys was now reality for the boys. It wasn't surprsing that the fear many of them were feeling had drvien them to a paniced state.

Perhaps however, there was a silver lining. Donkeys didn't have to go to school and in the end, they had little responsbiliy that required much thought. It could be a dull existence but at the same time, if he was lucky enough to be well treated, Bobby would have little to worry about for the present and future from that point forward.

With no other immediate option, Bobby turned to face the line of donkeys. Peter was directly in front of Bobby. Bobby realized that he didn't mind the view. That fact embarrassed him even though he accepted that turning into a donkey could make him see the donkey version of Peter in a similar way to the human version. He assured himself that he liked girls—he supposed it would be girl donkeys now. Bobby found Peter good looking but it wasn't as though Bobby intended to take these feelings beyond appritiating Peter's apperance.

Bobby shook his head. Even if he did encounter a girl donkey, he wasn't ready to give into the urges of the donkey he'd become—not after so little time. He had a life and family back home that needed him to be a boy.

A glimpse at the line before Bobby showed him that most of the donkeys ahead of him wore clothing. Some were half naked. A few like Peter and Gordon were naked.

There were also a lot of donkeys in crates. Most of them were braying and none of them wore clothes. Bobby hated seeing them like that. He hated knowing he was powerless to help them even more.

Bobby wondered why they all become donkeys instead of a mix of horses, pigs, cows chickens or other animals. Bobby cringed. Other then the horse, the other options were far from colorful.

Turning into a pig, laying in the cool mud all day and being able to get away with eating lots of food sounded fun. Someone killing him to make bacon or pork chops did not.

Still, why so many donkeys? Did the world really need _this_ many of them?

He pondered escape. Without knowing how well he could swim as a donkey, Bobby knew he was risking drowning. Even if he didn't drown, any number of dangerous creatures could try to eat him. Ending up as a meal for a shark or who knows what else was not how he wanted to die.

Even if he made it back to the mainland, he doubted he'd change back. With his ability to speak intact however, he could tell people about Pleasure Island and get help for the others. Maybe he could keep this from happening to other boys.

That however could mean he and all of the others could be stuck this way.

Bobby pondered whether or not he and the others had deserved this for the way they'd acted.

He was a well-behaved boy before the island. He did his homework and chores, took baths when his mother told him, didn't talk back and never said bad words.

He wondered if that was the problem.

The curiosity and temptation to eat junk food, drink forbidden things and even smoke existed within Bobby. He refrained out of fear of his mother catching him, not wanting to be bad and of bad things making him ill.

Pleasure Island had seemed the perfect opportunity Bobby needed to indulge without the consequences of indulging. He now knew it was all a trap. Scammers and con artists were something Bobby knew had existed as long as money had existed. He'd never expected to fall for a scam and yet here he was, turned into a donkey, surrounded by other donkeys that had fallen for the same scam. The foolishness he felt made his donkey form seem all the more fitting.

He however knew that he and the others couldn't or at least _shouldn't_ accept they were now donkeys and that was that. No, they didn't deserve to live out their lives as donkeys because of one mistake. They had to fight this!

"Guys, we can't let them do this to us. We have to fight them," Bobby said.

Unfortunately, the others only responded with brays.

Bobby wondered why he'd retained his ability to speak when others had not. Was there something special about him? Maybe it was random chance, he wasn't sure.

He worried how far these changes would go. If the boys that were braying had forgotten how to speak or now spoke donkey, Bobby wondered how far he could change on the inside. What if he forgot his human life? What if he forgot everything he learned at school or lost his intelligence? The idea was terrifying.

The line progressed as the man that had taken them to the Island asked each donkey his name. Every donkey that brayed ended up with the man ripping off the donkey's clothes (when applicable) and throwing him into a crate.

A chill ran through Bobby when Peter and Gordon reached the end of the line. They ended up in a crate together. Bobby was happy that they would be staying together. The somewhat relieved look they gave each other gave Bobby a sliver of hope that they would be able to live a happy life together as donkeys.

Peter and Gordon having hope for a happy ending however didn't mean Bobby would.

It was Bobby's turn. He hoped he could use his retained ability to speak to successfully beg for mercy.

Another one of the shadow creatures grabbed Bobby by the ears and slid him over to the Coachman. Bobby's motion momentarily kicked up a cloud of dust.

The man that had seemed like a sweet, kindly old man that only wanted the boys to have a little unauthorized fun now seemed far more sinister. He looked massive to Bobby. This was a man that had the power to create a carnival that would turn any boy that went there into a donkey and had used this power. If he could do this and fool this many boys into coming there, it seemed as though he could do anything.

Bobby knew that running would do him no good. This man could be the only thing that could change him back into a boy. It terrified Bobby and made him feel helpless.

He hated it.

"And what might your name be?" the man asked.

Bobby gulped.

"My name is Bobby sir."

"So, we have another one that can still talk huh?" The man asked.

Bobby nodded.

"Please sir, let me be a boy again," Bobby said. "I just want to go home. I'll never tell anyone about this place, I'm promise."

The man laughed, grabbed Bobby by the ears and tail and threw him into a pen where several others donkeys still wearing clothes stood.

"You had your chance to be a boy lad," the man said. "I gave you the fun you wanted and now it's time to pay for it."

Bobby was about to say something when he noticed the defeated looks on the other's faces.

"What's going to happen to us?" Bobby asked. "Why did they turn us into donkeys?"

"My name is Alexander. I don't know why they did this to us," a donkey in a sailor suit said.

Bobby looked at the man, who was attending to other donkeys.

"I don't want to be a donkey," another donkey, one wearing a red shirt said.

"We gotta find a way to escape so we can get our boy forms back," a donkey with a hat, shoes and blue shorts said.

"But even if we escape, where do we go?" Bobby asked.

The man walked over to the pen and cracked his whip.

"Quiet! Donkeys don't speak! You boys aren't changing back. Give up already!"

That seemed to be enough to silence the group. With little other options, Bobby hung his head and lay down.


	2. Chapter 2

Pleasure Island had seemed a dream come true. The dream had become a nightmare as the park revealed its true intentions to the boys who went there.

The island's magic had done its work on Bobby's body, changing its form and function beyond his control and desire into that of a donkey.

Less then an hour later, he was already feeling strange new emotions and desires. It was somewhat like being in a bad mood that was getting worse.

As much as Bobby feared it, there was no denying the change into a donkey probably wasn't going to stop with his body. Not knowing how much his mind would or could change terrified him.

Having retained his ability to speak and still wearing his shorts seemed to help Bobby at least somewhat.

His shorts allowed him to retain some level of his dignity and decency and allowed him some level of individual expression.

A donkey never wore clothes. They'd do the most private of things in public without shame or worry. Bobby had trouble imagining what it would be like to live like that. Peter and Gordon had chosen to disrobe and seemed to want to embrace that way of thinking. It was ironic that as much as they protested becoming donkeys, it would give them what they wanted on some level.

Still being able to speak was a blessing. Being able to speak allowed him to maintain feeling like a boy in the body of a donkey. He could handle being this way if this was a far as this was going to go.

The idea of losing the ability to speak terrified him. It could mean he'd be a donkey even on the inside. It was a terrifying prospect.

Most of the other talking donkeys didn't keep that one small joy didn't for long. In some cases, brays replaced words over time. In other cases, they'd suddenly start braying. For some, they almost seemed to will themselves into braying, as though they were tired of fighting in a situation where there seemed no way to win.

When brays were all they could speak with, the man stripped and then loaded them into crates.

It wasn't long before Bobby, a donkey in a sailor suit named Alexander and a third donkey named Paul who wore a red shirt were the only ones left.

The man seemed to have tired of waiting for the group to start braying. He boarded the ferry in which his men were loading the other donkeys with a promise that he'd soon return and expected to come back to three braying donkeys.

A chill went through Bobby. He wasn't sure which option was scarier, finally losing the ability to speak or facing whatever fate the man intended for those who didn't lose the ability to speak.

Being alone like this if nothing else, gave Bobby, Alexander and Paul some privacy.

"Bobby, what's going to happen to us?" Alexander asked.

"I don't know," Bobby said.

Bobby noticed Paul sniffing him.

"Wow, you even smell like a donkey," Paul said.

Bobby would have blushed if he still could.

"I know it's kinda bad but I can't help it," Bobby said. "I'd take a bath if I could but none of us can. I guess we'll have to get used to it."

"It's not so bad," Paul said.

"It's just part of being donkeys I guess," Bobby said with grin.

"Well, I don't wana be stinky!" Alexander said.

Bobby held out a fore hoof.

"Alexander, we have _hooves_! It's not like we have hands and can use soap or something. We're only gonna get baths if a human gives us a bath," Bobby said.

Alexander hung his ears.

"I don't wana be a donkey," Alexander said. "We gotta find a way to change back! We _can_ change back right?"

"I don't know if we can but I want to try and find a way too," Bobby said. "I don't want to be stuck like this either."

Bobby looked at Alexander. While he wouldn't wish this on anyone, he was glad he wasn't facing this alone. They appeared a fair bit younger then he. Alexander sounded about eight and Paul, ten. Bobby knew he should have known better then to come here. He had less of an excuse for being in his current form then them. At least they could argue that they were just kids.

"Being a donkey can't be so bad. Real donkeys seem to be okay with it," Paul said.

"They've never been boys," Bobby said. "Being donkeys seems normal to them."

"Yeah, I guess so," Paul said. "But, come on, unless they're mean to us, it can't be so bad. At least we don't have to go to school."

Bobby nodded. "If they're not mean to us then maybe it'll be okay. But, do you really want to stay this way forever?"

Paul seemed to think about it for a few moments.

"Well, I didn't think I wanted to be a donkey when I grew up. But, it doesn't seem so bad now. So, maybe being a donkey is okay for now," Paul said.

"Even if I gotta be a donkey, I still wana gonna home to my Momma," Alexander said.

"Even if it means she'll know what you did?" Bobby asked.

"What do you mean?" Alexander asked.

"We're donkeys because we were bad! If we go home as donkeys and tell people who we are, they're gonna know," Bobby said.

"But if we never go home I'll never see my momma again," Alexander said.

"I think I'd rather go home and get into trouble then never go home," Paul said.

Bobby never considered himself a leader. However, it was clear that Alexander and Paul were looking to Bobby for advice and a solution to their situation.

"You're right guys," Bobby said. "We should try to find a way home."

"Even if we get home, I really do wana stay like this for now," Paul asked. "Donkeys are pretty swell. It might be fun to hang out with them as a donkey."

"For you maybe but I wana be a boy again," Alexander said.

"Maybe being donkeys won't be so bad if we get used to it but being donkeys will be terrible if they take us somewhere bad," Bobby said.

In reality, Bobby didn't want to get used to it. On the other hand, Bobby didn't want to be miserable for however long they were going to be like this, especially if there was no going back.

"Then we should escape so they can't do that," Paul said.

Alexander was watching Bobby and Paul talk. His expression betrayed how worried and frightened he was.

"I don't want to start liking being a donkey so much that I don't want to go back if I can," Bobby said.

Paul seemed to want to say something but Bobby finished his thought that he now realized he needed to elaborate on.

"I guess if we hate it, it will probably seem a lot worse," Bobby said.

Alexander cocked his head.

"Like how my Momma made me wear this sailor suit?" Alexander asked. "I didn't want to wear it but after I wore it for a while, it seemed okay."

"Sort of like that," Paul said.

"Or like my older brother having a get a job when he didn't want to," Alexander said. "He didn't like it at first but now he says that there's some good stuff about it and it isn't so bad."

Paul nodded. "Yeah, like that. Turning into donkeys may seem like a drag but you guys can try to find stuff you can like about it."

"Just as long as we don't start liking it so much that we don't wana go back," Bobby said.

Paul snorted. "_Maybe_ I don't want to stay this way forever. But I want a vacation from having to go to school, taking baths and studying."

Alexander grinned. "What's that sound you made? It's funny! Sorry for laughing at ya Paul but I can't help it."

Paul grinned. "That's okay Alexander, I like makin' people laugh."

He snorted several more times, much to Alexander's amusement.

"Guys, before we laugh at this too much, remember that the man turned us into donkeys because he wants to sell us to people that will make us work," Bobby said.

Alexander nodded. "Then we gotta escape and get our boy forms back so he doesn't win!"

"Or at least get somewhere that won't make us do a lot of work," Paul said.

"I'll think of something guys," Bobby said.

"So, how come we can still talk? Everyone else starting braying but us," Paul said.

"I don't know," Bobby said. "Maybe it means we're special."

"Wait guys, I thought of something. What about the other boys? We gotta help them too," Alexander said.

"Yeah, I can't forget my friends," Paul said.

Bobby wondered what they could do. If he could still talk, he could tell the cops what the Coachman was doing. They would know what to do or could try to get help.

"We gotta get outta here somehow," Alexander said. "Maybe we can swim back home?"

"But how do we swim?" Paul asked. "And how do we escape?"

"I said I'll try and think of something and I meant it," Bobby said.

Alexander and Paul nodded.

Before that however, all three realized how tried they were. The night on Pleasure Island coupled with the trauma of turning into donkeys was exhausting. They all had to admit they needed sleep. It was soon after that all three lay down and fell asleep.

* * *

Bobby dreamt of being home as normal and getting ready for what he thought was school. In his dream however, he walked to a local farm instead of school. There were donkeys in the field. As he approached them, he started turning into a donkey himself!

He woke up as his change completed.

Bobby however, didn't wake up in his bed in his house as the boy he was only a day before. What he woke up to didn't make any sense.

The sight of the walls of a pen as well as two donkeys sleeping in front of him-one laying over a slightly larger one-greeted Bobby.

A scent not unlike a barn permeated Bobby's nostrils. While strong, it made Bobby feel oddly comfortable like the smell of one's hometown or home.

The sound of nearby water filled his ears. It sounded calm. There was also the undeniable scent of saltwater. This had to be the ocean.

He felt the sensation of cold stone under his body—a body that felt wrong in more ways then one. Everything felt out of proportion. He also wondered why his ears felt so long and why his jaw and nose seemed to have merged. Bobby tried to feel his mouth only to see a hoofed foreleg where his right arm should have been.

Gasping, he tried to stand only for his altered centre of gravity to cause him to fall onto all fours-the clop and sensation telling him it his four _hooves_.

Everything came back to him. Last night wasn't a nightmare. Bobby was on Pleasure Island, he was a donkey in a pen and two other donkeys were Paul and Alexander.

Bobby blinked—Paul and Alexander were naked!

Someone had removed their clothing overnight. Bobby felt a breeze around his hindquarters. A quick look— something much more difficult then looking down as a human—confirmed that Bobby was also naked.

He wasn't sure what to think of this latest turn of events.

When Bobby was naked as a boy, he was just that, a boy. It left him vulnerable and yet, in the right circumstances, he liked being able to just be a boy, even if only for a few minutes at a time in his room. He however knew his limits. Bobby wouldn't have been willing to strip down in front of people.

There were times he wanted to experience being naked other then in the safety if his room, Being a modest boy however kept that from becoming anything other then a small desire.

There was a time or two when was alone in an open field and had imagined himself as a powerful stallion running naked, free and at peace with the world. His human modesty never would have allowed him to strip as he'd wanted to and experience running in that field as a boy. These times seemed like ancient history now.

As Bobby had grown older and the process that eventually turns a boy into a man began to do its work on Bobby, naughtier thoughts and desires had crept into his mind. Nudity was now an entirely different beast. He was now old enough to associate nudity with intimacy. With four siblings—two brothers and two sisters—the privacy he'd need to explore those feelings was something that almost never presented itself.

Donkeys didn't worry about privacy. They'd explore those feelings when they felt like it, sometimes even if people were watching. If the donkeys knew they were safe, they wouldn't wait until the people left. They'd only stop if someone protested.

He remembered what some adults had said to him about wearing clothes and of intimate thoughts. Some said that one should strive to be naked as little as possible. Nudity brought temptation that even the most resistant person may not be able to resist if it grew strong enough. They saw it as best to avoid that temptation lest one fall prey to it.

Bobby knew that his current form and whatever situation it was going to bring would undoubtedly offer little options in allaying that potential temptation.

Beyond the temptation, there were other issues.

Never wearing clothing again meant that everyone from that point on would be able to see everything Bobby considered private. Yes, he looked a lot different and people seeing him now wouldn't be seeing him as a boy. Just because he'd become a donkey however, didn't mean he was okay with his body becoming an open house.

He knew there was more.

Clothes gave people more then decency, protection and privacy. They allowed people to assume an identity beyond what they were. For some, that identity was almost if not just as important as what they were. In a sense, clothing was second skin. People would often judge someone based on how they dressed. Seeing someone wearing something else could sometimes feel strange to people.

The clothes make the man as some people said. Now that he wasn't any and may never again, Bobby was starting to understand how true that was.

That even _what_ Bobby was had changed made Bobby feel worse about his lack of clothing. Without clothing, Bobby couldn't deny that he was a donkey. It forced him to face the reality of what he'd become in a way that wearing human clothes might have allowed him to hide even if only in a small way.

He was realizing that one's body was like another type of clothing. It was easy to think that he was a boy and that was that. The changes his body was going through as a boy that he'd earlier contemplated however showed him that even that could change beyond his control or desire. His current situation showed it could change very fast in very substantial ways.

His body having become that of a donkey was like clothing he could neither change nor remove. He knew it was going to affect him and his life in ways he couldn't yet imagine.

On top of all of that, he was also naked.

It made him feel exposed, vulnerable and violated.

Bobby however, realized that that as wrong as it was, there was nothing he could do about it. He pondered that there could be a bright side to all of this.

For one, there was a sort of absolution that came from being in the situation in which he now found himself beyond his control. While he'd chosen come to Island, he hadn't of chosen this consequence.

Bobby thought back to his daydream about being a stallion. He snorted at the irony that he'd become a creature that while a great deal more humble, was still close enough to being that stallion that he could now experience that childhood desire.

Being able to get away with being naked in public could also be fun once he got used to it. Having less to no privacy could also be like someone knowing a secret about you. Yes, it exposed you to an extent but it could also be nice to be able to share something enjoyable and somewhat forbidden with someone else, especially if they understood.

He snorted and shook his head a few times as he swished his tail. They didn't turn them into donkeys so everywhere could be like Pleasure Island had promised itself to be. Thinking life as a donkey would be like taking Pleasure Island back home and making it never ending, with potential for naughty fun and with no one ever complaining was as naive as thinking Pleasure Island was what it appeared to be without any hidden agenda.

Even if they managed to luck out and their lives as donkeys could somehow be that way, Bobby wasn't ready to give into the mentality of this new form. He had a life back home—a life that needed him to remain as much of a boy on the inside as possible as long as he had a choice.

He wondered if he even had a choice.

Bobby couldn't help but wonder if fighting it was a pointless struggle. The strange thoughts and feelings he was experiencing were growing stronger. Bobby knew that giving into those feelings would be easy. He also knew that what was easy was not always what was best for him. Coming to Pleasure Island and acting the way he did was easy for himself and the others. Taking that easy route however was why they were now donkeys.

He knew what the Coachman had done—and appeared to be getting away with doing—to he and the others was wrong. The lawlessness of their state as donkeys however did nothing to change the fact of their situation. While he had hope of finding a cure, he'd never heard of a donkey turning into a human. It could well be that this change was permanent and he and the others would have no choice but to accept it.

It wasn't right or fair but Bobby knew that life seldom was. This was a change they were going to have to deal with and that was that.

Change was a part of life. As a boy, Bobby was on a path to become a man and that was that. Some new thoughts, feelings and desires were coming into being while existing ones were changing. Bobby knew that he was already perhaps well into that process. He'd changed a lot since he was Alexander's age. It was to the point where it was hard to believe he'd once been that young even if his parents would say it felt like only yesterday.

He wondered if this change into a donkey was any different. If he wasn't going to be changing back, would seeing himself as the boy he was before coming to the island be as futile as he'd have seen the eight year-old he'd once been?

A swish of his tail and snort later calmed that thought. Boys grew into men over years, not—and certainly not donkeys—overnight.

He knew he couldn't simply accept this. There had to be a cure out there somewhere. Even if no one had yet found one, Bobby knew he couldn't simply give up.

Bobby paced back and forth for a few seconds. He looked at Alexander and Paul. They looked peaceful and even cute sleeping together.

Perhaps the real problem wasn't turning into donkeys per say. It was that they wouldn't be changing back without intervention.

The donkey lifestyle and mentality was something many of those boys didn't want. While it could be humbling—at least if short term—for some and a release for others that would be happy with it, Bobby knew that it would force many down a route that would leave them considerably less then what they could or even should have been. That coupled with the idea of someone putting them to work, especially hard work would make this a change that would be anything but desirable for many of the boys. That they cried about and protested their altered forms was not surprising.

Someone living as a donkey as a penance or for a vacation was one thing. To never change back and for that to be your new identity was an entirely different beast.

He again looked at Alexander and Paul.

Without clothing, they'd probably eventually start to feel the same temptations Bobby already felt. At this point however, Bobby wasn't sure how they'd feel about this. Alexander was too young to see nudity in the way Bobby was seeing it. Paul seemed to like being a donkey. Bobby had a feeling Paul would get a real thrill out of this, even if there was still a degree of innocence to it.

Someone approached the stall. It was the fox and cat. No longer a mysterious and perhaps over-eager charitable man, this fox now seemed more like a con artist.

Bobby wanted to bite and give them good kick with his hindquarters. At that moment, he was glad he was naked. Pants could well have restricted his ability to kick.

"Ah my friend, I see that you're angry," the fox said. "You might even be thinking about biting us. Ah, but one does not bite the hand that feeds you."

Bobby saw that the cat had hay, it smelled wonderful. He'd liked the smell of hay as a boy but now its scent was ambrosia to Bobby. His stomach grumbled.

"Did you take our clothes?" Bobby asked.

"Ah, so he still talks. My friend we can't have that. No, we can't. Donkeys don't speak you see," the Fox said. "Oh yes, your clothes—well my friend, donkeys also don't wear clothes."

Bobby watched as Alexander and Paul seemed to sniff the air. The scent of the hay must have been like the world greatest wakeup call to them.

Alexander woke up and seemed to try to stand on two feet before he fell back onto Paul.

Paul looked up at Alexander. "Easy there."

Alexander looked at Bobby and Paul. He hung his ears as realization set in.

"I'm still a donkey!" Alexander said.

Paul's reaction was almost disturbingly calm.

"Me to, we all are," Paul said.

"How come you guys are naked?" Alexander asked.

"You're naked too," Paul said.

Alexander looked at his forelegs and then back as best as he could at the rest of his body.

"Eww, we can't be naked!" Alexander cried.

The cat started laughing.

"It's not funny," Bobby said.

"Ah my friend but it is. The joke is just on you," the Fox said.

"How come we're naked?" Alexander asked. "I never took my clothes off."

"They must have taken our clothes when we were asleep," Bobby said.

Alexander recoiled.

"Wait, they touched us? They're not allowed to…"

"Please my friend, what kind of perverts do you take us for?" The Fox asked. "I assure you we have better things to do with our time."

"I want my clothes back!" Alexander said.

"Being naked is the last of your problems my boy," the Fox said. "Now, be good little donkeys and have something to eat and drink. You have a busy day ahead of you."

Bobby watched as the Fox nodded to the Cat. He dropped the hay over the wall of the pen before he walked away for a minute. When he came back, he had a large bucket. He heaved the bucket over the side of the pen and dropped it on the ground.

They both walked off soon after.

Paul looked up at Alexander. "Alexander, I'd love to give you a donkey back ride but I don't think that would work if we're both donkeys."

Alexander stood up and then over Paul. "Sorry Paul."

Paul stood up and nuzzled Alexander. "That's okay. If it makes being a donkey not as bad to you then I don't mind."

"I still want my clothes back," Alexander said.

"I don't think they're going to give them back Alexander," Bobby said.

"But, I can't be naked! Everyone will see me! My body is private! My Mom told me that," Alexander said.

"Not anymore," Paul said. "Donkeys don't wear clothes."

"Why don't they?" Alexander asked.

"They don't know what clothes are," Paul said. "Anyway, our hooves would make it hard to pull down our pants when we have to go to the bathroom. Shirts would just get in the way and get caught on stuff."

"Yeah, I guess so," Alexander said. "It's still embarrassing and kinda weird though."

Paul stood on his hind legs for a few moments and grinned goofily grin.

"Come on Alexander, it's not like they're seeing us naked as boys," Paul said. "They won't even know it's us 'cause we look so different."

Bobby found it ironic that the one thing that could hamper their rescue could also allow them to get away with things more readily then if people knew the truth about them.

"I guess so but just because we're donkeys now doesn't mean I like people seeing me naked," Alexander said. "And it doesn't mean I want to be naked all of the time."

"Think of it this way Alexander," Bobby said. "No one is going to get upset about a donkey being naked and enjoying it. It's like a donkey has a choice."

"You can wear clothes once you change back," Paul said. "In the meantime, don't be afraid to let go a little and have some fun with it."

"I guess I can try. I don't get it Paul. Don't you wana go home?" Alexander asked.

"I want to go home or at least to my uncle's farm so I can play with his donkeys but I don't mind doing it as a donkey, even a naked one," Paul said.

"You're weird Paul," Alexander said with a grin.

Paul grinned. "Is that so bad?"

"Na, you make this not as scary," Alexander said. "I'm still scared and I still wana go home but you make being a donkey seem less scary."

Paul smiled.

"What about you Bobby? What do you think about this?" Paul asked.

"You guys better sit down," Bobby said. "I gotta talk a lot about that."

The trio sat down in a way similar to how dogs and cats sat. They tried not to let the fact that they seemed to know how to do it as donkeys and did it without thinking bother them too much.

Bobby told Paul and Alexander and his earlier ponderings about their lack of clothing and about his thoughts on change as well as reminding them that this wasn't supposed to be a pleasurable change.

Alexander looked scared.

"I hate scaring you Alexander," Bobby said. "I just don't want you to think this will be great if it's not going to be."

"It's okay, I guess you gotta help me remember that we'd better escape and find help for the other boys too," Alexander said.

Paul snorted. "I'll help them too as long as you don't make me change back if I don't want to."

"So, not wearing clothes might make us want to do naughty stuff?" Alexander asked.

Bobby nodded. "It might. I think it's okay to have a little fun with it. We just have to make sure we don't enjoy it so much that we don't want to go back."

Alexander nodded.

"Will being donkeys make us act like donkeys?" Alexander asked.

Paul looked at the hay and water.

"It smells wonderful," Paul said. "Come on guys, maybe eating it is acting like a donkey but I'm hungry."

Paul walked over to the hay and started munching away at it. He swished his tail back and forth with joy at the taste.

"It might a little," Bobby said.

Alexander cocked his head. "And it'll really seem normal to act like donkeys while we're donkeys?"

Bobby looked at the hay. It was getting harder to resist it by the moment.

"It might," Bobby said.

He realized that it was soon going to be impossible to resist the hay. It smelled too good and Bobby was too hungry.

"That hay looks delicious," Bobby said. "Eating it is acting like a donkey but I'd rather do that then be hungry."

Bobby's stomach was grumbling.

"Even if it's letting them win?" Alexander asked.

Bobby nodded. "Maybe it's okay to give in this one time."

"Good because I'm hungry too," Alexander said.

Bobby smiled and both joined Paul eating away at the delicious smelling and tasting hay.

Once they were finished, they each drank some water from the bucket until the water level was too low to reach. It wasn't until they were done that they realized they'd known how to eat and drink as donkeys. Eating and drinking that way had felt perfectly natural to Bobby.

"That was actually pretty good," Bobby said.

"I never knew hay tasted so good," Alexander said.

"That's because you've never been a donkey," Paul said with a smile.

"It's weird that I knew how to eat and drink as a donkey," Alexander said. "It was kinda fun."

"I guess turning into donkeys makes us know how to do some donkey stuff," Bobby said. "Like when we sat down."

"Bobby, what if we can't find a way to be boys again?" Alexander asked.

"If we're stuck like this then we just have to make best of it," Bobby said.

"Eating and drinking with my mouth was kinda fun," Alexander said. "So is no one making us take a bath."

Paul grinned and again stood on his hind legs. "Don't forget about getting to run around naked all day and it's okay. Oh yeah and not having to go to school either."

Bobby swished his tail back and forth. He had to admit that Paul's balance was impressive. That he'd seem to have accepted the idea of life as a donkey so easily seemed strange.

"Yes, that too," Bobby said.

Paul went back down onto all fours.

"Even if we go somewhere that isn't bad, they'll still probably make us work," Bobby said.

"If they let us eat right and we all grow up to be big and strong donkeys, it might be okay," Paul said. "I'd eat my veggies if I knew they'd make me strong."

Alexander grinned. "Being strong might be fun but I still wana try to change back. I can still be strong as grown up"

Paul seemed to want to say something but Alexander continued.

"Wait, being stuck like this is dangerous," Alexander said. "Bobby said they might make us do dangerous stuff, remember?" Alexander asked as he hung his ears.

"He's right Paul. Maybe this could help me relax a bit but being this way is too risky," Bobby said. "And the others need help too. We gotta at least try."

"Okay fine but just don't make me change back if I don't want to, okay?" Paul asked.

Bobby nodded. "If we can change back and you wana stay this way, that's cool."

Paul grinned. "Maybe I can be your pet donkey?" Paul's ears stood high and alert. "That could be fun."

"Maybe but let's worry about that if it happens," Bobby said.

He looked at Alexander.

"Remember that even if we're stuck like this, we still have each other," Bobby said.

Alexander nodded. "Thanks Bobby."

The group was silent for a few minutes before Alexander asked another question.

"Bobby, this is a weird question, but do I look okay?" Alexander asked.

Bobby cocked his head.

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked.

"I'm not ugly, am I?" Alexander asked.

"No, you're not ugly Alexander. You actually make a cute donkey," Bobby said.

"Ewww Bobby, you can't say that about another guy," Alexander said.

"It's not wrong to say it. It's not like I want you to be my boyfriend," Bobby said. "More like a younger brother or something."

Alexander nodded.

"So, what do we do now?" Alexander asked.

Bobby nodded. He did his best to think up a solution. The truth was that Bobby couldn't think of a way out.

He accepted that even if they escaped the pen and somehow managed to swim back to mainland that they would still be donkeys.

They were already starting to think and act like the donkeys they'd become. Getting home would be an empty victory if their physical and/or mental state made living there impossible.

All that assumed they'd retain their ability to speak. If they ended up like the other boys who'd changed so much that they couldn't even speak, they'd be facing a serious issue.

For one, they'd for all intents and purposes, be donkeys. Anyone could capture them, sell them or use them to do almost any sort of work, no matter how unpleasant. Few would care about the welfare of a donkey. Even if people knew they used to be boys, some might not care or would argue that once they were donkeys, they were donkeys and should be regarded as such.

In short, they were in way over their heads. The only solution it seemed to appeal to the Coachman's mercy and beg him to change them back.

Bobby discussed his thoughts with Alexander and Paul.

"He's a bad guy, he'll never change us back," Alexander said.

"He's right Bobby. The guy's trick wouldn't work if it was easy to change us back," Paul said.

Alexander frowned.

"I hate him for doing this to us," Alexander said. He stomped his right fore hoof. "We can't be _stuck_ this way! I don't want to be a donkey forever!"

Bobby could see the anger forming within Alexander growing stronger. Said anger made itself obvious when Alexander walked to the door to the pen, turned around and started bucking at it. The door shook a bit but its strength was a bit too much for Alexander.

"Let me outta here you bastardi," Alexander said.

"Alexander, you gotta calm down," Bobby said.

Alexander kept bucking before several brays escaped his lips. The shock of braying was enough to silence him.

"Did I just…"

Bobby nodded. Paul exhaled sharply and chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"I've never heard a donkey swear before," Paul said. "It was pretty funny. Do you swear a lot and that why you were wearing a sailor suit?"

Alexander stuck out his tongue. "Na, my Momma made me wear it. I don't normally swear. I'm a good boy."

"Well, we shouldn't freak out like that," Bobby said. "Panicking must make the donkey instincts and stuff stronger."

"But it felt kinda good," Alexander said. "I wish I could kick that man's head a few times like that."

"Me too Alexander, but what if we give in too much and we change even more on the inside?" Bobby asked.

Alexander hung his head and looked scared. A tear ran down his cheek. "I don't wana be a dumb donkey."

"Donkeys aren't dumb Alexander," Paul said. "They just don't get to go to school and other stuff."

"Wait, you braying gave me an idea," Bobby said. "What if we pretend we can't talk anymore? Maybe then they'll send us somewhere and we can tell someone there the truth and they can help!"

"Then they might find a way to change us back and we can go home," Alexander said.

Paul hung his head.

"I know you wana stay this way Paul but it's too dangerous," Bobby said.

"I know it's dangerous and I know it's best for all of us to change back," Paul said. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"If we stay too much longer, we might get worse," Bobby said. "If we can only bray, we won't be able to tell anyone who we are."

"At least that way if we do donkey stuff, no one will know we're not real donkeys so maybe they won't get mad," Paul said.

"Maybe but then they won't know who we are so they might be mean to us because they think it's okay," Bobby said.

Paul stomped a fore hoof and swished his tail back and forth before bucking a few times.

"Why are people mean to donkeys? Just because we're donkeys doesn't mean we're not people anymore," Alexander asked.

"People are jerks," Paul said. "They should leave donkeys alone."

"But people need donkeys to do work people can't do," Bobby said.

"I guess but why can't people just leave _us_ alone and let us enjoy life?" Paul asked. "I should be able to say what I get to do and get to be. It's my life! Just because I turned into a donkey doesn't mean I should have to do certain stuff."

"Paul, think about it. That's just the sort of thinking that got us into this mess," Bobby said. "We wanted to have fun instead of doing chores, going to school and other stuff they make boys do."

"That's annoying too," Paul said. "Just because I was a boy doesn't mean they had to force me to do that stuff."

Paul again stomped a hoof and beat his tail back and forth. This time, several annoyed brays escaped Paul's lips.

"Are you okay Paul?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay. That felt weird. It was like normal to do it," Paul said. "It didn't feel so bad."

"Maybe, but you saw the boys who couldn't talk that were in those crates," Bobby said. "What if changing all the way like that made them lose control forever?"

"I know that sounds scary but what if feels good? It felt kinda good to bray and swish my tail," Paul said. "At least now they can act like donkeys and not feel guilty."

"Maybe but what if they can't help it? Do you want to end up like that?" Bobby asked. "Then who will help us? Then who will help them?"

"I don't want to end up, you know crazy or something," Alexander said.

Paul nodded. "Okay, you win Bobby, I see what you mean. It would be pretty scary if we went crazy and lost control. I still don't like grown-ups making us do stuff though."

"I know it's dumb but someone has to do that stuff," Bobby said. "If no one worked, then we'd have no treats or anything."

"I know, but it's still annoying," Paul said.

Bobby nodded.

"Do you think that pretending to bray will fool him?" Alexander asked.

"It might be worth trying but what if once we start braying, we can't stop?" Paul asked.

"Or what if the man doesn't believe us?" Alexander.

"I don't know but we have to try something," Bobby said.

Alexander gave the door another buck.

"I still wana try and get free," Alexander said. "Come on guys, maybe if we all kick the door, it'll break."

"What if doing that makes us bray?" Paul asked.

"We'll stop if one of us brays," Bobby said.

Bobby nodded. He and Paul joined Alexander. All three bucked as hard as they could. Bobby felt the door starting to give. Unfortunately, the sound of boots on the pavement alerted them that someone was coming. They had no choice but to stop.

The man had returned.

"Trying to escape were we?" he asked.

Bobby looked at Alexander and Paul as they ran to the back of the pen. The looks of terror on their faces betrayed their emotions. Bobby turned around.

"How can you be back so soon?" Bobby asked.

The man grinned. "I have my ways child. But, that's something you need not concern yourself with."

"Please, let them go. I'll do anything you ask," Bobby said.

The man rubbed his chin. "You're a brave little donkey. I'll give you that. Anything you say?"

"Yes sir," Bobby said.

In truth, Bobby was scared almost out of his mind. The instincts he felt seemed to grow stronger with his emotions. He needed every bit of self-control he had to keep them from overwhelming him.

"There's one problem my boy. We can't have talking donkeys telling people where they came from. It would cause problems," the man said.

"Please, don't hurt us," Bobby said. "What did you do with Gordon and Peter? You didn't hurt them did you?"

The man smiled.

"You'd like to see them wouldn't you?" the man asked.

Bobby nodded.

"That's the problem Bobby. They were good donkeys. Donkeys bray and they brayed. You three did not," the man said.

The man petted Bobby over the gate down his neck and back. It felt wonderful.

"There is still plenty of beer and other treats left," the man said. "There's no need for us to be enemies or for you to see me as a monster. I think you all just need a little help to become the young braying jacks I need you to be."

He stopped petting Bobby.

"Can't you change us back and make us forget coming here?" Bobby asked. "Then you won't have to worry."

The man rubbed his chin as though in thought. "An interesting idea lad but if I could do that then why would I allow all of your fellow jacks to remember ever being anything but?"

Bobby hung his ears. At the same time, knowing Peter and Gordon remembered made Bobby feel better. Also knowing the Coachman's power had its limits also helped.

"The beer sounds okay but I'd rather have water," Bobby said.

The Coachman shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourself boy. I assure you that you three are not going to be changing back. Your life as donkeys can be easy or it can be difficult. It's up to you."

His situation was starting to feel all the more real. Bobby more then anything wanted to relax and needed a vacation. However, Bobby knew that he needed to be safe and in control of his situation to get that vacation. Right now, he was neither safe or in control.

"No, please, no," Bobby said, tears forming in his eyes. "Just let us go home and be boys again. We won't tell anyone!"

"Yeah mister, we can pretend we never came here," Alexander said.

"Yeah, we won't tell," Paul said.

"Do I take your word for that?" the man asked. "Tell me something, what's to stop you from telling once I leave you? I am not a fool."

"What about if we promise to never tell anyone?" Alexander asked.

The man smiled. "If only it were that simple. But, we all know that promises can be broken by even the best of us."

The man again petted Bobby a few times.

"I'm afraid you're donkeys from now on. You should have thought of the consequences of acting like donkeys when you still had the chance."

Bobby hung his head and ears. This was it. From that point forward, Bobby and the others really were going to be donkeys.

His horror increased when he heard a bray come from the direction of Alexander and Paul. Bobby looked back to see Alexander and Paul recoiling in horror.

"I just brayed," Alexander said. "Bobby, I couldn't help it! What if I get worse?"

"There are worse things to be then donkey jacks," the man said. "I'll be generous and allow _you_ to decide what happens next. You have an hour."

The man walked away. Bobby walked over to Alexander and Paul.

"Did you really bray?" Bobby asked.

Alexander nodded as a tear formed in his eye.

"What if that means it's too late for me and I'm going to be like the others?" Alexander asked.

Bobby shook his head. "We can't give up. But if you start braying and can't stop, I'll ask the man for some beer so you won't be alone."

"Thanks Bobby," Alexander said. "But I guess if don't start braying, he might turn us into something worse then beings donkeys or he might hurt us."

"Bobby, I really don't mind being a donkey," Paul said. "I'd much rather be on my uncle's farm with his donkeys. I know he'll take care of me if we can escape, get there and somehow let him know who we are."

"I guess we don't have a choice. He's not going to change us back," Bobby said. "I don't know what else to do. We're going to have to fake bray."

Paul walked over to and nuzzled Bobby. "Come on, being donkeys isn't going to be so bad."

"Let's try fake braying first," Paul said. "Maybe we'll be lucky and he'll believe it and we can tell the truth to the person he sells us to."

"Isn't lying bad?" Alexander asked.

"Guys, sometimes you have to lie," Bobby said. "You can't always be good if you want to win—especially if you're fighting bad people."

"Yeah, you're right," Alexander said. "So, we start pretending to bray now?"

Bobby nodded. It was a long shot but he knew that they had to try.

He wished this was a dream or story where he could stop reading or wake up if things got scary. Failing that, he wished it was a daydream where he could control what happened.

Being stuck this way with no immediate way out or possibly _no_ way out at all was a terrifying concept. A vacation was one thing. Accepting that from that point on, they were all donkeys and that was that was something Bobby didn't want to consider.

There had to be a way out. There _needed_ to be.


	3. Chapter 3

In one hour, the man would return. He'd demanded that they'd all be braying by the time he returned. Bobby didn't understand how the man could make this demand. It was not as though Bobby could simply decide that he wanted to finish changing into a donkey and at that point, he'd begin braying and wouldn't stop.

Even if this would work, Bobby wasn't willing to try it given the risk. He and the others had decided to fake bray. It seemed the only viable option.

While he hated being in this situation, he couldn't help but realize that many would say he and the others deserved this.

Bobby wondered if there was any truth to that.

Yes, they should have known better then to fall for the Coachman's trap.

Yes, they did things boys shouldn't do.

Yes, they all should have followed their conscience when—or at least if—it told them that this was wrong.

Bobby knew how easy it was to feel that their forms fit the mentality that brought them to the island and that this was poetic justice. The irony that such forms could lead to a lifetime of nothing but work was not lost on Bobby. He now knew how easy it was to make such a judgment when it was someone else facing it. That knowledge let him know that this was not justice in any shape or form.

Even if this was a twisted form of justice, Bobby knew that the Coachman didn't have the right to enact it.

As wrong as everything about this was, Bobby knew that didn't change the reality of their situation. As with so many other things in life, Bobby knew that even among those that would agree it was wrong that when it came to doing something about it, most would stand around expecting someone else to take action.

It seemed that they had no choice but to accept it. Bobby knew they lacked the power to change themselves back into boys. He also knew that anyone they knew back home _also_ lacked that power. Leaving the island most likely wouldn't change them back into boys. If it would, Bobby knew the Coachman wouldn't have loaded the others into crates, put them into that ferry and left the island.

They couldn't fight or run from being donkeys. It was a terrifying concept that Bobby had no real idea how to cope with.

A fly buzzed by Bobby's rear. Bobby swatted at it with his tail. There was no hesitation.

If he wasn't aware of his tail before, he certainly was now.

Bobby saw Alexander do the same as the same fly buzzed by him.

"Dumb fly, take that," Alexander said. A look of concern crossed his face. "Was it wrong for me to do that?"

Bobby watched Paul grin as he waved his tail back and forth.

"Why would it be wrong? It's swell having a tail," Paul said.

He swished his tail and even bucked a couple of times.

"Paul stop! If you do that too much, you might start braying for real," Alexander said.

"I know but try swishing your tail a bit more," Paul said.

"Smacking flies with our tails is a normal thing for a donkey to do but we shouldn't do it too much," Bobby said.

Paul snorted. "Come on, just try it. It's just one little thing."

Bobby didn't want to start an argument. He swished his tail back and forth. It was _his_ tail, as much a part of him as everything else. It felt good to have one. He didn't want it to feel good. However, without one, how could he swat the flies?

Bobby cringed at that thought. It felt like something a donkey would think. Yet, it felt natural, even good.

"Okay, it feels good," Bobby said. "But those cigars, beer and candy were _other_ little things that should have been okay."

Paul looked back at his tail and then at Bobby and nodded.

"I guess but it just feels so good," Paul said.

"I know it does," Bobby said. "But we gotta resist it in case doing more things that feel good changes us even more."

"How do we resist it?" Alexander asked.

"Try thinking of school stuff that you gotta think about rather then doing easy stuff that feels good," Bobby said.

"Like math and stuff?" Alexander asked.

"That might work," Bobby said with a grin.

"It's like something's telling me to bray rather then speak," Paul said. "I know I should speak but I–guys I'm sorry I can't help it…"

Paul let out several brays and even bucked a little. When he regained his senses, he looked at Alexander and Bobby.

"That felt kinda good too," Paul said. "I know you said it's dangerous staying this way but it's so tempting."

Bobby bucked before flicking his tail at the fly, which to his annoyance had returned. What did this fly want? He didn't smell _that_ bad.

"Paul, if we bray for real, we'll never be able to tell anyone the truth! It's not just us that would lose then, it's all of those other boys!"

"Please Paul, don't give in! Maybe we can find a way to make you like being a boy," Alexander said.

Paul nodded. "I'll try but being a donkey is so tempting. I wish I could be stronger."

"That's okay Paul but you need to fight it for now if you want to go home," Bobby said. "It's like resisting the urge to smash something when you're angry. It might be fun but getting into trouble isn't. Just like how someone might treat us if we can't speak isn't fun."

Paul nodded. "You're right Bobby. I'll try."

Bobby nodded. "I hope fake braying works."

He worried they were running out of time. Acting like a donkey did feel good. It was getting harder to find reasons to resist those feelings and desires.

Was this what it was like to be a donkey? Normal donkeys never went to school, lacked inhibitions and had no desire to retain humanity they never had. Bobby was starting to understand that donkeys acted like donkeys for the same reason a boy acted like a boy. It seemed normal, felt right to act that way and for the most part, there was no reason not to.

He heard someone coming. He turned to face Alexander and Paul. Bobby watched Paul turn his ears to face the direction of the sound. It seemed another step towards giving into the donkey.

"Okay guys, we gotta fake bray now," Bobby said.

Soon after, the fox and cat returned.

"Well my donkeys, it seems I heard a bray or two a minute ago," the Fox said. "Yes, yes, yes, that's the sound we want no, _need_ to hear."

He looked at the cat, who nodded.

"Well now my friends. What do we have, brays or will you persist with this pesky speaking?" The Fox asked.

Bobby looked at Alexander and Paul and then at the Fox. He seethed with anger unlike anything that he'd ever felt. For Bobby and the others, this was the end of life as they knew it. The three of them were just another deal to the fox and cat.

"Come on now donkeys, don't dally, time is money," the Fox said.

The cat nodded.

Bobby looked at the fox and frowned. His emotions were threatening to overwhelm him. He did his best to focus as he let out a few fake brays that he hoped sounded convincing.

Alexander and Paul brayed. Bobby's heart sank when he realized that Paul's bray had sounded authentic.

The cat smiled and nodded his head several times. He put his hands to the sides of his head and raised his index fingers in what Bobby figured was the cat's way of mentioning donkeys. The cat pointed to a crate in a corner.

The Fox looked at the crate and rubbed his chin.

"I don't know," the fox said. "Something about those brays sounded a bit off."

The cat was still smiling as he opened the door to the pen.

"You donkeys wouldn't by chance be faking now, would you?" The fox asked.

He gasped when he turned and saw what the cat had done.

"Guys, they know we faked it, run for it," Bobby said.

Alexander and Paul ran out of the pen. The Fox grabbed Bobby when he ran.

"Foolish donkey," the Fox said.

Fear over overwhelmed Bobby. He brayed several times. He kept braying to tell Paul and Alexander to run for it while he kept the fox and cat busy.

Paul and Alexander however, came to the rescue. Paul bit the fox on the arm holding Bobby while Alexander bucked the fox's shin. The pain was enough to get the fox to loosen his grip.

All the while, the cat stood there with a shocked expression on his face.

The three donkeys ran off.

"Thanks for helping me guys," Bobby said. "I wanted you to run while I distracted them."

Relief ran through him when he saw he could still speak. He wondered how much longer it would last.

"There's no way we'd leave you to them," Paul said.

"Yeah, we're friends now," Alexander asked. "We don't abandon friends."

"There's the water, maybe we should swim for it," Alexander said.

"Yeah Bobby, I think donkeys can swim," Paul said.

Bobby looked at the water and considered it. Yes, they'd still be donkeys if they made it back to land. However, they'd be talking donkeys and away from the people that did this to them. Staying on the island seemed didn't seem to be a viable option.

"It's crazy but you guys are right," Bobby said. "If we stay here, we'll just get worse until we're just like the others."

"Stop them you fool," the fox yelled. "If they escape, they'll tell the cops! Do you _want_ to go to jail?"

Bobby looked back to see the fox and cat running towards them.

Alexander and Paul were the first ones into the water. Bobby heard the splash after they jumped. He jumped soon after, landing in the cold water with a heavy splash.

The sensation of water around his donkey body was odd but at the same time, it didn't feel that much different then it felt on Bobby's hair when he was still a boy. He was under for a few moments but surfaced to see Alexander and Paul ahead of him.

Somehow, all three knew how to swim and stay afloat as donkeys. For this, Bobby was happy that they'd inherited some of the instincts from their forms. Without them, Bobby realized they probably wouldn't be able to walk properly, let alone swim.

"Which way is land?" Alexander asked.

"I remember which way the ferry went," Bobby said.

"Get back here you stubborn asses," the fox yelled. "Are you really willing to risk drowning just to get away from us?"

"I'd rather risk that then stay with them," Paul said.

"I don't wana drown but they might hurt us if we stay," Alexander said. "Lead the way Bobby."

Bobby swam up to and past Alexander and Paul. He looked back to make sure they were following as he did his best to swim away from the docks.

Battling waves and cold water, they swam as fast as their donkey forms would allow them.

It felt good knowing they were getting away from the island. Bobby wished he'd become something more aquatic such as a seal or dolphin but he also knew that such a form would make living on land much harder if not impossible.

The desire to not only escape but stay alive kept them going for what Bobby could only assume was hours. They made progress but it was slow. Bobby kept looking back the entire time to make sure Alexander and Paul were following.

Over time however, Bobby started to tire. The sky was darkening and it was getting hard to see if they were getting any closer to the mainland.

He looked back to see Alexander and Paul were swimming slower and had tired looks on their faces. Bobby knew that their chances were not good. He knew that swimming for it was little better then suicide and was a desperate option. However, he didn't think that they would actually face the chance that they might not make it.

Bobby slowed to let the others catch up to him.

"I don't know how much longer I can swim," Alexander said. "Maybe we shoulda stayed on the island."

"What are we gonna do Bobby?" Paul asked.

Bobby wasn't sure he had an answer. He didn't want to drown and definitely didn't want to watch Paul or Alexander drown.

"I hope I didn't lead us the wrong direction," Bobby said. "I was certain the ferry came this way."

"I thought it did too Bobby," Paul said. "I can't think of anywhere else we could have swam."

"What do we do? Do we swim back?" Alexander asked.

Bobby didn't want to go back to the island. Not when the fox, cat and Coachman would be waiting for them.

He was nearing giving up hope when he heard a splash behind him. When he turned around, he saw a seal bobbing in the water in front of them. It barked at them a few times. Bobby somehow understood that it knew there was land nearby where they could rest and would be safe for the time being.

"Bobby, I can understand it," Alexander said.

"Does this mean we can understand other donkeys?" Paul asked.

"I don't know but I'll trust this seal over going back to the island," Bobby said.

The seal backed at them to hurry as it swam to their left. Bobby, Paul and Alexander followed it with a renewed sense of hope. The water seemed to be getting colder and the waves harder to fight. They fought as much as they could, swimming even when it seemed they were well beyond being able to swim any more.

Bobby made sure to stay back with Alexander and Paul just in case either of them started to sink. With each kick of his legs, Bobby kept thinking to himself that land was just one more minute ahead— only sixty more seconds of fighting and they'd be safe.

He didn't know how much longer it was before he could smell sand, trees and other vegetation. The scent was as appealing to him as the candy and other treats of Pleasure Island had been to Bobby when he'd still been a boy.

The seal barked at them to confirm that they were almost there.

They kept on swimming until they were able to walk onto the beach just far enough inland that the waves couldn't reach them.

Alexander and Paul lay down, each breathing deeply. Exhaustion overtook Bobby and he lay down close to Alexander and Paul. Their fur was dripping and sand was sticking to them.

They all looked at the seal. It was lying on the beach half covered in sand.

"Thank you for helping us, you saved our lives," Bobby said.

Alexander and Paul both thanked her as well.

While they'd made it to an island, they knew they still were not safe. The water on their fur made them shiver as a breeze picked up. Bobby hated the idea that they could freeze to death after making it this far.

Bobby heard something snap behind them. All three looked to see that a fire surrounded with rocks had appeared seemingly out of thin air a short distance from them. The fire was warm even from there and was beyond inviting. When they looked back to ask the seal how this was possible, they saw that she was gone.

A squawking of a seagull had them all looking up to see one flying high overhead carrying something. It dropped what it was carrying before it flew away. Bobby saw that it was a note as it floated toward the ground and came to a rest as his fore hooves.

Bobby did his best to open the not—an annoying task with hooves. He managed to get it open after several seconds. The light of the fire was just enough to allow him to read the note. He was happy that he could still read.

Alexander and Paul walked beside Bobby as they read the note.

_There is somewhere safe for the three of you in your current condition. Swim in the direction the sun rises when you are able. She will be waiting for you, understand your situation and can take you somewhere safe._

Bobby looked up.

"That seal must have been a guardian angel or something," Bobby said.

Paul looked into the sky. "I didn't know they were real."

"How come she didn't change us back into boys?" Alexander asked.

"Maybe she's only allowed to do some things," Bobby said.

Bobby looked at the fire.

"Come on guys, we need to dry off," Bobby said.

"Can't we just shake off?" Paul asked.

"We can try," Bobby replied.

The three shook as best as they could, using instinct to guide them in how. The result was water and sand flying everywhere and the three being a bit drier but still needing something extra.

"That was fun," Paul said.

"Yes but we still need the fire," Bobby said.

"I'm hungry and cold," Alexander said.

"The fire will help dry and warm us," Bobby said. "Once we've dried off and rested, maybe there's something we can eat here."

"Think that person from the letter will really know how to help us?" Alexander asked.

"I don't know but it's better then staying here," Bobby said. "I don't know if three donkeys can survive alone on an island."

"At least we escaped the bad island," Alexander said.

Bobby nodded. They all walked over to and lay by the fire. It was warm and felt good on his cold body.

"I wish I could have my bed here," Alexander said.

"I don't think we'll get to sleep in beds as donkeys," Paul said.

"If I could be home with my Momma, even a stable would be okay," Alexander said.

"Tomorrow, hopefully, whoever this person is can help us to get home or at least keep us safe," Bobby said.

"Are we gonna be stuck as donkeys?" Alexander asked.

Bobby moved over to Alexander and put his leg around his him.

"I dunno Alexander," Bobby said. "But even we are, I know we'll find a way to make this work out."

Paul moved closer to the duo and lay against them.

"Don't worry Bobby, I remember what you guys said," Paul said.

Bobby nodded. He wasn't sure what was going to happen the next day but it felt good knowing there was someone out there looking out for them.

After a short while, Bobby found himself closing his eyes before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Most of Bobby's dreams that night had him as the boy he was before his trip to Pleasure Island. He had a few dreams where he was a donkey.

In all but one, he, Paul and Alexander were somewhere safe, playing in a field without a care in the world. It was a happy and peaceful feeling of what could be should they remain this way whether by choice or otherwise.

The one that was different had Bobby in a different field on a warm, peaceful day. A female donkey had been munching on the grass until she saw Bobby. When she did, she approached him with a grin on her face that suggested she wanted to have as well but in a way that appealed to another side of Bobby. He'd given into her and had enjoyed every moment of it. It was a wonderful, albeit embarrassing dream. As a human however, he'd been starting to have equally embarrassing dreams involving girls and sometimes even boys his age.

A warm day greeted Bobby as he awoke to the start of his second day as a donkey. This time, he wasn't as surprised or upset upon waking up to his still new reality.

He opened his eyes to see Paul and Alexander sleeping together. Paul was lying on his back with his front legs up and bent at the ends, making him look quite silly but at the same time comfortable. Alexander was draped over Paul width-wise. They looked peaceful sleeping together. Bobby smiled as he thought back to the dreams he'd had involving them.

Bobby stood up, yawned and stretched.

Although seeing Paul and Alexander looking so cute and peaceful made Bobby happy and had him wishing he had an older companion to sleep on top of, he was glad that he wasn't in Paul's position. The one embarrassing dream he'd experienced had the potential to create an awkward situation if he was.

Bobby noticed that the fire was out and that his fur—as well as that of Paul and Alexander—was dry.

He knew they had a long day ahead of them. He wondered if he could still talk.

"My name is Bobby."

Even if he'd been unable to speak, he felt a strange sense of assurance that he would be all right. Knowing someone—human or spiritual—was looking out for them made him feel better.

The sun was rising, showing Bobby the direction they needed to swim.

A moderate breeze was blowing from the west; it was warmer this time. The sensation of it over his body was something he'd never have been able to experience as a clothed human.

While he could have come here as a human and stripped, he doubted his family would have allowed it even if he wasn't too shy to try it. Right now, as a donkey, he didn't feel that sense of shame or urgency that someone was going to catch him and that he needed to get dressed as soon as possible.

Bobby closed his eyes and allowed himself a minute to enjoy the sensation. He tried to shut out the content feelings but it seemed harder now. In truth, it felt great and the alarm he'd lived with for so long was growing quieter to the point where it was barley audible.

He listened to seagulls cry as they flew overhead. The unmistakable scent of the sea was everywhere.

He opened his eyes and sniffed the air in hopes of smelling something they could eat. While he wished they had access to bacon and eggs, he found that he was starting to crave something more along the lines of grass or hay. He tried to shake it off but the craving wouldn't go away.

The wind carried the delicious scent of grass with it, which only made matters worse. Bobby couldn't help but flare his nostrils to take in more of the scent. He knew it was acting more like a donkey but it felt so _good_ to do it that he couldn't help it.

He remembered what he'd said to Paul the day before about resisting little pleasures lest they make the trio change even more on the inside. Away from Pleasure Island however, it seemed safer. If it wasn't, Bobby knew that it could only be a matter of time before they could no longer resist and became donkeys through and through.

They just had to hold out ling enough to get to that lady that could help them. He knew he could manage that.

When his stomach growled, his hunger became overpowering.

Bobby walked over to Paul and Alexander's sleeping forms.

"Hey guys, wake up," Bobby said.

When they didn't wake, Bobby nudged both of them. Alexander was the first to wake. He stood up, stretched and yawned. He stepped over Paul and turned to face Bobby.

"I guess this means I don't have to go to school today," Alexander said. "And I'm glad I can still speak."

Paul opened his eyes and grinned.

"Or anymore," Paul said. "Talking is good but braying probably won't be so bad."

"Do we gotta swim for it now?" Alexander asked.

Paul rolled around and sat up.

"Can't we get something to eat first?" Paul asked. "I'd say eggs or something but I'd rather just eat some grass or something like that."

"I'm hungry too," Alexander said.

"Follow me guys, I can smell some grass over there," Bobby said.

Bobby led the way as they started walking.

"That's okay for us to eat?" Alexander asked.

"Why not, we're donkeys and that's what they eat," Paul said. "It's not like we have any real choice."

"Okay," Alexander said.

They walked a short distance until they came to a forest by the beach. A short walk through it let them to a large field with a lot of long grass blowing in the wind. There was a river running along the other side of the field that led towards a rocky area that bordered the forest. It reminded Bobby of the field from his dreams.

"It smells delicious," Paul said.

"Is it okay for us to eat?" Alexander said.

"It smells good and looks okay," Bobby said. "Let's try a bit and if it tastes okay, I think it'll be fine."

Bobby was the first to enter the field. He lowered his head, bit off some of the grass and chewed it. It tasted wonderful as it smelled. He seemed to be okay after he swallowed it.

"It seems to be okay," Bobby said.

Alexander and Paul ran into the field beside Bobby and started eating as Bobby resumed eating. The group ate for a while until their bellies were full.

"We should drink some water before we go," Bobby said. "Hopefully, the river is okay for us to drink. We can't drink the seawater."

They walked over to the river where Bobby tested the water. It tasted good and seemed to be fresh. Bobby nodded for Alexander and Paul to drink before Bobby drank until he'd satisfied his thirst.

"That was good," Alexander said. "It's nice here. I wish we could stay but then we'd never go home."

"Come on guys, we'd better get started," Bobby said.

"Can't we run around and play for a bit?" Paul asked.

"If we do, we'll just waste energy we need for swimming," Bobby said.

Paul hung his head. "I guess so. But I still want to play."

"We can play once we get to that ladies house," Alexander said.

"All right," Paul said.

Bobby led the way back across the field and then through the forest to the beach. The sun was a bit higher on the horizon and it was getting warmer. The breeze was still blowing.

"That note said we need to swim in the direction the sun rises," Bobby said.

He looked back at where the fire was before walking over to it. With several bucks of his back legs, he covered it with as much sand as he could.

"Just making sure it doesn't start again," Bobby said.

He walked over to the water and tested the temperature with his right foreleg. It was cold but tolerable.

"You guys ready to do this again?" Bobby asked.

"I don't wana have to swim again but staying here means never seeing my momma again," Alexander said.

"Being wild donkeys on a nice island might be okay but I'd rather go find that lady if she can help us," Paul said.

Bobby nodded.

"I'd like a vacation. Staying here might be fun," Bobby said. "But then we'd never go home."

Paul grinned. "You can still get it as a donkey if that person helps us."

"We'll see," Bobby said.

He looked out into the sea.

"Come on, the sooner we start, the sooner we'll be done."

With that, Bobby strode into the water with Alexander and Paul following. He knew they still had a long and difficult journey ahead of them and getting back to the mainland could only be the beginning. They also knew however that taking the easy route was why they were in this mess to begin with. It would be a hard journey ahead of them but the rewards would hopefully be worth it.


	4. Chapter 4

Freedom isn't free.

Those words echoed in Bobby's mind even as fleeting regrets over fleeing plagued him. They'd been swimming for hours. The sun growing higher in the sky confirmed it. This was a lot harder then he thought it was going to be.

_Freedom isn't free._

Staying would have left their futures in the Coachman's hands. That was a route as risky as what they were doing.

Bobby wondered more then once if they were in denial. Seeing themselves as strange looking boys was easy. He wanted to believe that people would accept them as such. The reality however was different.

Ill-gotten as their donkey forms were, they were still donkeys. Existing as donkeys from this point forward was a possibility they were facing.

Being a donkey had some advantages. Their fur provided them protection from the cold. It was a small advantage but Bobby was willing to take anything life offered at this point.

Things however, were about to take a turn for the more dangerous.

The darkening sky and increasingly rough waves coupled with a rumble of thunder to the North-West showed Bobby that a storm was brewing. It was getting colder and staying above the water was getting harder.

The first raindrops that hit Bobby beckoned feelings of doom.

He slowed down to allow the others to catch up to him.

"Oh no, it's starting to rain," Alexander said. "What do we do now?"

"We can't just give up," Paul said. "This would be so much easier if we were seals or something."

"Remember what wanting to have things easier did to us?" Bobby asked.

The rain was get heavier as the thunder grew closer.

"I know, I know, that's were donkeys," Paul said.

"If we were seals, we'd have stay in the water or on the beach," Bobby said. "You couldn't get to your uncle's farm with flippers. His donkeys might not get along with a seal."

Paul nodded. "You're right."

"Guys, we should hurry," Alexander said.

"How much longer before we get to land?" Paul asked.

"I don't know," Bobby said.

A loud crash of thunder echoed throughout the sky.

Bobby swore he heard a seagull cry. He looked up to see one flying high above. It circled around them, squawking incessantly. Bobby wasn't sure how but he somehow knew that it was trying to communicate.

They were getting close to help and only need to swim for a little bit longer.

"Come on guys, we just need to swim a bit more," Bobby said.

"I understood that seagull just like the seal," Alexander said.

"If we're almost there then let's go," Paul said.

They were all cold and tired and it was getting harder to swim. Knowing rescue was close coupled with knowing the alternative was drowning motivated them to continue.

The trio resumed swam through increasingly rough waters even as rain pounded their bodies, lightning assaulted their eyes and thunder hammered their sensitive donkey ears.

Bobby stayed as close as he could to Paul and Alexander, ready to help either if they started to go under.

He wasn't sure how much longer they swam before he heard something approaching. His legs felt heavy and his muscles were screaming at him.

Then like a beacon of hope, a voice called out.

"Is anyone out there?"

"We're over here," Bobby yelled.

They all swam toward the voice—a woman's voice—until they could just barley see a ship.

A young woman that looked to be soaked stood on the deck of the ship. She waved to them and pointed toward the stern of the ship.

"Swim to the back of the ship, I'll open a hatch you can climb up," she said.

They all swam as best as they could. A clanging sound followed by a splash sounded nearby. They followed the sound until they saw a ramp at the back of the ship. The woman was standing, waving to them.

"Hurry," she yelled.

"You go first Alexander," Bobby said.

Alexander was slowing down. Bobby was concerned he wasn't going to make it.

"We're almost there. Just a bit further," Bobby yelled. "We didn't get this far for you to drown. Here, put your front legs over us."

Paul swam beside Alexander before Alexander draped his front legs over Bobby and Paul as they swam together with Alexander kicking his back legs as hard as they could.

When they reached the ramp, the sounds of their hooves on the wood—normally a stark reminder of their new forms—was a blissful sound that brought untold relief. Alexander went back onto all fours as the three of them walked into the hold of the ship. The ship rocked under the waves a bit but it was vastly preferable to being in the water. The sound of rain and thunder grew quieter as the woman turned the crank to retract the ramp.

"I'm glad I found you boys," the woman said.

Paul and Alexander both sat down while Bobby turned to face the woman. It was dark in the hold, which made seeing each other and her difficult. There was just enough light from some candles to allow them to see. She seemed to have long wavy auburn hair as well as tanned skin. He found it unusual when he saw that she wore a shirt and slacks rather then a dress. Bobby liked that look although he felt a little more embarrassed over his lack of clothing.

Bobby walked over to the woman, stood on his hind legs and hugged her with his front legs as he thanked her.

She returned the hug.

Alexander stood up and walked over to the woman "Thank you for rescuing us."

"Yeah, you saved our lives," Paul said. "But how did you know about us? Are you the woman that seagull's note told us to find?"

"I am," she said. "Don't worry, once you've all had time to rest, I'll explain myself."

Bobby realized that they were dripping water all over the floor. He was also starting to shiver.

"Here, I'll get a fire going for you," she said. "Don't worry; it'll be in a closed in fireplace, so it's safe."

She walked them over to the other side of the hold. The scent of several piles of hay filled his nostrils. It made him hungry. Another scent intrigued Bobby. It seemed to be another donkey but something about the scent was off. This scent made him more comfortable and a little excited.

Bobby knew it was best to get dried and rested before doing anything else.

"I apologize for the lack of towels," she said.

"Would you have dried us off?" Bobby asked.

He cringed when he realized that he sounded a little _too_ excited.

She chuckled and patted him. "Of course; who else would?"

Bobby grinned in a way that he knew made him look goofy. It seemed all right though.

He and the others watched her light the fireplace. The warm fire her actions gave life to warmed them in a way that was as welcoming as stepping into a warm bath or spring.

"I have to get above deck and try to navigate us out of this mess," she said. "Try to get dry and warm. If you're hungry, feel free to have some of the hay."

She took the time to pet each of them.

"Don't worry, we're going to get out of this," she said.

Alexander called out to her as she reached the stairs to get topside.

"Who are you?" Alexander asked.

She smiled. "Let's just say I'm someone that's sympathetic to your plight. What you all did was very brave."

"Where are you going to take us?" Alexander asked.

"Somewhere safe, don't worry," the woman said. "Now, please rest and get dried and warmed up."

With that, she walked the rest of the way up, leaving the trio alone.

"Thinks she's a good guy Bobby?" Alexander asked.

"She wouldn't have rescued us if she wasn't," Bobby said. "Besides, that seagull told us about her. She must have seen the storm coming and took this ship out to find us."

"What if she gets into trouble?" Alexander asked.

"She must be willing to if it means helping us," Bobby said.

Although it was faint, Bobby could have sworn he heard the sound of a donkey bray and the woman telling someone named Matilda that she could see them once they were rested.

"I _knew_ I could smell another donkey," Paul said.

"Let's wait until we're dry and warmed up," Bobby said. "Then we can find out who that is."

Paul nodded. "I'm tired so that works for me."

"Me too," Alexander said.

Bobby nodded and lay down in front of the fire.

The warmth from the fire was not only comfortable but relaxing. Bobby found himself drifting off and before he knew it, he was asleep.

* * *

Bobby awoke to the sensation of someone nibbling on his left ear. A pleasant—at least to his donkey nose—scent accompanied warmth above him.

He cocked his head to see something unexpected. A donkey with sand colored fur and a white mane stood before him. Bobby stood up to face her. She was taller then he but he knew that he'd eventually grow to be her size or larger if he didn't change back into a boy.

Bobby looked her over.

Her tail was more like a horses; long, luxurious and the same white color as her mane.

Her ears were long like those of a donkey.

"Like what you see?" she brayed. "My name is Matilda."

Bobby nodded. Matilda was a beautiful donkey that seemed alert and energetic. She even smelled nice. He grinned in a way that he knew made him look like an idiot. He felt much like someone his human age with a beautiful woman not only standing by him by taking an active interest in him. If they were human people would—rightfully he knew—discourage any sort of relationship.

The sound of someone walking down the stairs had Bobby's ears standing as tall as they could get.

"I'm sorry if she startled you, she was eager to meet you three," the woman said.

She walked over to Matilda and petted her.

"It's okay," Bobby said. "You never told us your name. How did you know about us?"

"I didn't? How embarrassing! My name is Kindra."

"I'm Matilda," Matilda brayed.

"It's so neat that I can understand her," Bobby said. "She's so pretty. How come she looks different from a normal donkey?"

"You think I'm pretty?" Matilda asked.

Bobby felt the blood rushing to his cheeks. He looked at the ground. "Well yeah, you are."

Kindra smiled. "She looks different because she's a mule. Her father is a donkey and her mother a pony."

Matilda rubbed up against Bobby. "Don't be dry. If you want to have some fun, just ask. The fun doesn't have to stop just because you've become donkeys."

Bobby looked up at Matilda and gulped.

Kindra rolled her eyes. "Matilda, please behave. He's too young for that."

"You can understand her too?" Bobby asked.

Kindra nodded. "The best way I can explain it is by saying I have a gift or perhaps gifts that grant me abilities beyond what someone would normally have. I'm no fairy but I can still help you in small ways."

"We're gonna be stuck like this, aren't we?" Bobby asked.

Kindra stroked Bobby's chin. It was a nice comforting feeling. He looked up at her and saw compassion in her eyes.

"I don't know if it's possible for you to be a boy again Bobby. I will do everything in my power to make you happy as a donkey. It may not be the life you envisioned for yourself but I assure you that I can find ways to make it just as satisfying and fulfilling."

Paul and Alexander were stirring.

"But, won't that man be looking for us? That fox guy said we'd ruin everything if we escaped!" Bobby said.

"There are ways I can help to conceal you," Kindra said. "We can discuss that later. For now, why not have some hay to eat? I'm sure you're quite hungry."

Bobby looked at the stack of hay in the side of the hold. His stomach grumbled.

"I'm hungry too," Matilda brayed.

"You'll behave yourself?" Kindra asked.

"I'll be good," Matilda brayed.

"All right, I'll trust you," Kindra said. "You boys eat up while I fetch you some water."

Kindra stood up, walked over to the stairs and ascended the stairs.

Alexander and Paul opened their eyes and stood up. It was then that Bobby was able to better notice that they were all dry. Their fur however needed a good brushing.

"Paul, Alexander, this is Matilda," Bobby said. "She's a cute—I mean a mule. That's why she looks different then us."

Alexander walked over to Matilda and looked her over. "I never met a mule before."

"I never met talking donkeys before," Matilda brayed. "So we're even."

She looked in the direction of the hay. Her nostrils flared before she grinned.

"Come on guys, let's get some hay, I'm hungry," Matilda said.

She and Alexander walked towards the hay. Paul nudged Bobby to stop him.

"You think she's cute?" Paul asked.

Bobby nodded. "Well, maybe a little. I know it's weird but I guess being a donkey is gonna make me like donkeys."

"I didn't say it's wrong," Paul said. He grinned a goofy donkey grin. "But if you think I'm cute too then that's okay too."

Paul trotted towards the hay with what seemed to Bobby to be an extra bound in his steps. Bobby could only stare at Paul with a confused, albeit intrigued look in his face. Paul had said that Bobby scent wasn't so bad but Bobby had taken it to mean that Paul was used to smells like that. Could Paul be interested or was he just teasing Bobby? Bobby shook his head. Worrying about that would have to wait until later. For now, he needed food.

Bobby walked over to the hay and began to eat.

Kindra brought them several buckets of water as they ate. It was more then enough water to satiate all of their thirsts. By the time they were done, Kindra invited them to come above deck.

Bobby was the first out, following Kindra up the stairs. He saw that it was clearer out. There were still clouds to the south and a brisk wind was blowing.

"How come you're being so nice to us?" Bobby asked. "Most people don't care much about how donkeys feel."

"You're not exactly run of the mill donkeys," Kindra said. "But even if you were, I'd still treat you with respect."

Paul walked up to and beside Bobby. "Yeah, we're special donkeys."

"It seems kinda unfair that you need to do all of this work," Bobby said. "Are you gonna make us do a lot of work to make up for it?"

Kindra walked over to and petted Bobby. "There are some tasks I can have you perform. Don't worry; it will be nothing you can't handle. Besides, you might come to find that a hard day's work can feel good. There are some that enjoy working up a good sweat under a hot sun."

"I don't mind doing some work," Paul said. "Maybe we can pull some real heavy stuff together Bobby."

"Or the three of us with you in between us," Matilda said as she walked to Bobby's other side.

Bobby looked back and forth between Paul and Matilda. He was certainly not used to this sort of attention. It made him a little nervous but at the same time, excited him a little. They were still too young but Bobby knew that turning into donkeys didn't change the fact that the three of them were growing.

"If it's like chores, I hope we don't have to do too many," Alexander said.

"It won't be," Kindra said. "Now, the storm has taken us off course. It'll be a few more hours before we reach land where I'd like to reach it. I'm interested in hearing about how you all became donkeys. I don't know much more then the basic details."

"I remember you said something about concealing us," Bobby said.

Kindra nodded. "I do have an idea but first I'd like to hear your story. Think of it as getting to know each other better."

Each of the three donkeys as well as Matilda sat down before Kindra acquired a chair from the front of the ship and sat down on it in front of them.

"Who wants to go first?" Matilda brayed. "A place that can turn boys into donkeys sounds like my kind of place."

"I'll go first," Bobby said.

And with that, Bobby began to tell his tale.

* * *

Alexander went next. His story was similar to Bobby's, albeit more innocent.

He hadn't of tried any cigars.

After indulging in a fair bit of chocolate, he'd tried some beer at the urging of some older boys.

When it was his turn to endure the same changes that the other boys endured, he'd changed somewhat differently.

It began with his hands. As they changed into hooves, he'd thought the chocolate on them was somehow expanding. If anything, it seemed funny.

By the time he realized it wasn't a joke and something far more sinister was happening, he and the others around him had changed enough—Alexander having gained donkey ears, a tail and even legs as his hands had developed into hooves slower then others hands—that many seemed to be beyond the point of no return.

They'd changed enough that even if they did escape, they'd lost enough of their human forms that they could never return lest people see them as freaks. Changing the rest of the way seemed the only option.

"That's terrible," Kindra said. "The world may need donkeys but this is not the way one should go about acquiring them. If a boy chose to be a donkey understanding what it will mean for him then that is his business. Forcing it upon him is evil. No one has the right to do that to another person."

"So, it's true that even if we were bad that we don't deserve this?" Alexander asked.

Kindra nodded. "That still would never justify what's happened to you three. No one deserves unending punishment for such trivial sins."

"Being a donkey isn't punishment," Matilda brayed.

"Maybe not there are things they could do as boys that they like to do that they cannot do as donkeys," Kindra said.

"There are also things they had to do that they didn't like to do," Matilda brayed.

"Like going to school?" Paul asked.

Matilda nodded. "You'll never have to go there again if you're donkeys."

"That may be so but becoming donkeys may mean that many of those boys will be exchanging that for a life of nothing but work," Kindra said.

Bobby thought of Peter and Gordon.

"We have to help my friends," Bobby said. "Someone may be hurting them now. It's not fair if I get to be happy as a donkey and they don't."

Kindra nodded. "We can try to find them. But, you need to remember that if they can't speak and look as any other donkey looks that it will be difficult."

Bobby nodded. "We still gotta try."

"What about telling the cops? Maybe they can help stop that man," Alexander said. "I still wana go home. Maybe I can be okay because I can still talk?"

"That man or the fox and cat might still try to find us," Bobby said. "It'd be too dangerous for our families."

Alexander hung his head and ears. "It isn't fair."

"You're right, it isn't," Kindra said. "That's part of why I'm doing what I can to help you."

Alexander looked at Kindra. "What if he gets mad that you're helping us and hurts you so he can take us away?"

Kindra nodded. "I'm willing to take that risk. I also said I could help conceal you. Perhaps, Alexander, I can show you what I mean."

She stood up and walked over to Alexander.

"Please, stand up," Kindra said. "Don't worry; I'm not going to hurt you."

Alexander stood and looked up at Kindra.

"That man is looking for boy donkeys," Alexander said. "You're gonna make me a girl donkey, aren't ya?"

Kindra chuckled. "No, no, I won't do that unless you wish it. While I can't remove your donkey forms I, I _can_ change things about them."

"A shame you don't want to try being a girl, you don't know what you're missing out on kid," Matilda brayed.

Kindra shook her head but maintained a smile.

"So, what sort of things can you change about us?" Alexander asked.

"I can change the color of your mane, fur or both," Kindra said. She patted Alexander's head. "Believe me Alexander; I'd restore your boy form in a second if I had that power."

"You didn't turn us into donkeys so I'm not mad at you," Alexander said. "That's neat that you can change our fur color. Can you make mine pink?"

"You want to have pink fur?" Kindra asked.

Bobby and Paul stood and looked at Alexander as though he were insane.

Alexander grinned and stuck out his tongue. "I'm joking. I've never seen a pink donkey. It'd be neat but then they'd know something weird was going on. I had black hair as a boy so my mane color is okay. Can I have gray fur though? Not like I'm getting old but like my normal fur color is gray like I've seen on some donkeys."

Kindra smiled. "Sure honey. That should be just fine."

She put her right hand on the tip of Alexander's muzzle. In a slow but steady motion, she ran the hand up Alexander's face, over his head and then down his neck and body. As she did so, his brown fur started to turn a shade gray with his tan under parts turning a lighter shade of gray. The wave of color change followed her until she was down to the tip of Alexander's tail.

"How do look I look guys?" Alexander asked.

"Different," Bobby said.

"I think you look cute," Matilda brayed.

"Yeah, you make a cute gray donkey Alexander," Paul said. "Can I go next if I tell you my story? Or you want to go next Bobby?"

Bobby grinned. "Can you make my brown fur redder and make my mane red?"

"Did your hair used to be red?" Kindra asked.

"A bit," Bobby said. "I just like the color for fur and hair; it looks heat I mean neat."

Kindra looked at Matilda, who was grinning. "Don't even think about it."

Matilda stuck out her tongue before letting out a bray. "Spoil sport."

"Sorry, one of those two other boys I mentioned had red hair," Bobby said. "I guess I liked him more then I realize."

"It's not a crime you know," Paul said.

"I know," Bobby said. "So, can I have redder fur and a red mane?"

"Of course," Kindra said.

She walked over to Bobby. This time however, she did the opposite of what she did for Alex. She started at the tip of Bobby's tail, making her way up his body with the wave of changing fur color following her. When she was finished, Bobby sported a handsome reddish coat with a red mane.

"Not bad at all," Matilda brayed.

Bobby gulped.

"Don't worry, I'll be nice."

"I guess you want to hear my story," Paul said.

"I won't force you if you don't want to," Kindra said.

"It's okay, it's not embarrassing or anything," Paul said.

Paul's story was similar to Bobby's. However, Paul had disrobed soon after arriving on the island. His family had often acted as though the human body was somehow evil and that one needed to cover it at all times. He'd always found that annoying.

After playing for some time, he'd seen several other boys start and in a few cases, complete their changed into donkeys. His change started and progressed quickly. He'd managed to find a shirt that another boy has discarded and put it on hoping it would stop him from changing or at least keep him from panicking like some of the others did.

"I don't know if it worked but since I can still talk, maybe it did," Paul said.

Kindra smiled. "There is no reason to be ashamed of one's body. However, certain behavior might not be appropriate in public locations."

Paul grinned. "I guess we don't have to worry about that now, do we?"

"Well, there might be certain ways a donkey would behave around others without shame. You should however, try to conduct yourselves with at least some level of restraint," Kindra said.

Paul nodded. "Bobby said that too. He said if we think being a donkey is all fun and games that it's like thinking Pleasure Island wasn't a trap."

"Well, I'll make sure you boys can still have some fun. So, what color would you like your fur to be?"

Paul grinned. "Can I have sand colored fur and a yellow mane?"

"I don't see why not," Kindra said. "That's not a common coloration for a donkey but it's still believable."

"We can just say I'm mule if people ask," Paul said with a grin.

"That's the spirit," Matilda brayed.

She looked at Kindra. "I have an idea to do Paul's makeover. Can you make it so me kissing him causes it?"

Paul would have blushed if he still could.

"I don't see why not. As long as that's okay with you Paul," Kindra said.

"It's okay," Paul said.

Kindra patted Matilda, who grinned. Paul stood ready as Matilda walked over to him before kissing him right on the lips. The change in fur color spread out from there as it enveloped Paul's body, leaving him as the tan colored donkey with a yellow mane that he wanted to be.

"This is great, thank you," Paul said.

"You're all welcome, I'm glad to have been able to help you, even if it's just in this small way," Kindra said. "Now, let's see about getting back to land. It shouldn't be too much longer now."

* * *

They sailed for another hour. A second chime of a clock by the front of the ship that had gone off shortly after their color change confirmed it.

Kindra spent most of the time at the front of the ship at the wheel with Matilda by her side.

It had been smooth sailing up until minutes before when the waters had become rougher.

Kindra had a concerned look on her face.

Bobby walked up the front of the ship after an especially large wave rocked the ship.

"What's wrong?" Bobby asked.

Before Kindra could answer, something slammed into the starboard side of the ship, knocking everyone off of their feet and hooves!

"What was that?" Alexander asked.

"What's going on?" Paul yelled.

Bobby managed to pick himself up as another heavy hit caused the deck to buckle.

"What's hitting us?" Bobby asked.

Kindra ran to the starboard side of the ship and peered over the side. The shock on her face betrayed the seriousness of their situation.

"Is something attacking us?" Paul asked.

Kindra grabbed the wheel and did her best to steer the ship away from whatever was after them. Another heavy hit caused some of the wood to buckle and send something crashing below deck.

"Yes, but I'm not sure you'd believe me if I told you what," Kindra said.

Bobby's eyes went wide. "After seeing a talking fox and cat walking on two feet and wearing clothes, turning into a talking donkey and seeing you understand donkeys and change our fur color, I'll believe anything."

Kindra smiled.

"I suppose your experiences would open your minds a fair bit," Kindra said.

Bobby heard a large splash. He ran to the side of the boat just in time to see a massive whale slam into the side. The hull was coming apart and the whale had almost breached it. Bobby didn't have time to react before the whale again slammed into the side. The impact knocked him into Matilda. He ended up on his back looking up at her.

She grinned at him before stepping aside. Bobby rolled into his belly before standing up.

"Are you all right?" Kindra asked.

Bobby nodded.

"Why is a whale attacking us?" Bobby asked.

"It's a long story," Kindra said.

Bobby's nose picked up the scent of burning just before the ship started leaning to the right. He ran to the stairs and peered down. The sight that greeted him terrified him.

One of the whale's hits had knocked the fireplace on its side, starting a fire. As well, water was pouring in from a breach where the whale had hit!

Bobby ran up to Kindra and told her.

"There's a smaller boat in the back," Kindra said. "You all need to get on it and use it to get away from here."

"What about you?" Bobby asked.

"I'm not gonna leave you," Matilda brayed.

Matilda didn't have a chance to protest further before Kindra patted her. "I'll be fine, don't worry."

They all ran towards the small lifeboat at the back. Kindra helped them all into it.

"How do we use the paddles?" Alexander asked.

Another hit rocked the boat, loosening the ropes holding the lifeboat. Smoke was starting to pour from the hold and the ship leaned heavily to the right.

"I know you'll find a way," Kindra said. "Now hurry."

One final hit knocked the lifeboat loose, sending it crashing into the water below. Bobby lost his balance and fell against the side, hitting his head. Dizziness almost overcame Bobby.

As the lifeboat floated away, Bobby looked at the side of the ship to see the massive whale smashing itself into the ship. The Water poured into an ugly gash on the side as smoke pouring out of it.

Kindra was screaming something at the whale.

Before Bobby could further react however, another wave of dizziness plunged him into unconsciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

Alexander had never been more frightened nor had he ever felt more helpless in his life then he felt now.

Even turning into a donkey wasn't nearly as frightening as this.

The monstrous whale continued its assault on the boat. The sight of it smashing itself against the boat as it let lose deafening bellows was a terrifying sight that had Alexander almost convinced that they'd somehow encountered a slice of Hell itself.

He could only watch with horror on his face as the boat leaned enough that it was getting close to capsizing.

The fire was spreading, chocking much of the ship with black smoke.

Alexander looked at Bobby, who was still unconscious.

Bobby wasn't moving. A gaze at his flank showed that he was still breathing.

Alexander nudged Bobby and licked his face in an attempt to wake him up.

"Come on, Bobby wake up," Alexander cried.

His upset was enough for his control to slip enough to allow a few brays to escape his lips.

"No, please, not now," Alexander said.

"I don't want to run but Kindra told us to run, so we gotta run," Matilda brayed.

"Shouldn't we try to help?" Paul asked.

Matilda turned and faced them.

"There's nothing else we can do," Matilda said.

The sadness on her face was impossible to deny.

"What about Bobby?" Alexander asked.

"If we don't get out of here now, that monster might come after us," Matilda said. "If that happens, he might never wake up."

Paul looked at one of the oars and then at his hooves.

"I guess being a donkey isn't _all_ great," Paul said. "How are we gonna row the boat?"

A loud crashing of wood followed by a strong wave made Alexander feel ill. The boat was getting worse by the moment. Alexander knew they had to get out of there.

"We can hold 'em with our mouths," Alexander said.

Paul looked at an oar and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess that can work," Paul said. "It'll look dumb and it will be kinda hard but you're right, we can do it. Come on, I don't mind living as a donkey, but I don't want to die!"

Alexander looked back at Bobby.

"It's okay, I'll watch over him," Matilda said.

Paul and Alexander walked to the sides of the boat.

Matilda stood and watched Kindra's boat as it slowly sank and burned. She didn't like violence but at that moment, she wished Kindra had installed some cannons on the boat.

The massive whale continued thrashing at the boat while it screaming with a rage unlike anything the boys had ever heard. Each donkey's ears jerked with each bellow and they couldn't help but cringe.

They knew they had to get out of there before the whale went after them.

"I know which way land is," Matilda said. She pointed with her front right hoof.

Paul and Alexander took the oars into their mouths and started rowing. They needed a minute to synchronize their motions before they were on their way.

It was difficult and tiring. Fear and a desire to live however proved themselves excellent motivators. Alexander didn't want to spend the rest of his days as a donkey but he'd rather live like this then die.

Alexander and Paul steered the boat towards land with some careful rowing before they starting rowing as best as they could. They made progress but it was slow.

Matilda hung her head and ears when they made it far enough from Kindra's boat that it was no longer in sight.

They all knew that they had to keep going and focus on getting to shore. There would be time to feel sadness over what had happened once they were safe.

Therefore, they kept rowing.

Distracting pangs of guilt ran through Alexander. Kindra had been where she was because she was trying to save them. If they hadn't of been foolish enough to be in the situation they were in, she wouldn't have needed to save them and would be all right.

Rowing was difficult and tiring. As time passed, Alexander was starting to get hungry and thirsty. The lack of drinkable water and food meant that he'd have to wait until they were on land before he could do anything about that.

What was worse was that Alexander was getting tired. While the increased strength his donkey form granted him helped, he wasn't so sure how much longer they'd be able to go on for.

More then anything, he just wanted to go home and lay down in his bed. His momma would know just what to do to make things right.

Even if instead of hot pancakes, bacon and orange juice, he'd now crave oats, hay and some clean, fresh water, he didn't care. It didn't matter if he'd be doing work in the yard instead of chores; he just wanted to go home.

Alexander heard a groan come from Bobby's direction. He felt some relief not only knowing that Bobby was waking up and could be all right but that Bobby could help Alexander keep his mind off the guilt and homesickness he felt. He wanted to keep rowing as he heard Bobby stirring but his concern for Bobby soon had him letting go of the oar.

Paul let go as well before they walked over to Bobby.

Bobby opened his eyes and looked up to see the others looking at him with concerned looks on their faces.

He had a terrible headache and felt a bit dizzy. Confusion over the sensations, sights, sounds and smells that greeted him as he re-joined the waking world almost made him panic.

Everything came back to Bobby as the fog of confusion lifted from Bobby's mind, saving him the embarrassment of attempting to stand on two feet and/or trying to cover what everyone had already seen.

The situation before his encounter with the side of the boat knocked him out was the first thing on his mind.

He stood and blinked his eyes before touching his head with his front right hoof. It wasn't the same as holding his head with a hand before he'd become a donkey but it still helped a bit.

"Where are we? What happened to the boat?" Bobby asked.

Bobby noticed that the sun was a fair bit lower in the sky then it was when they'd escaped Kindra's boat. It seemed that he'd been out for a while.

Paul informed Bobby of what had happened.

Bobby hung his head and put his hoof down.

"She might be dead. It's our fault for needing help," Bobby said.

They all hung their heads.

Paul was the first to speak up after a few minutes.

"We gotta keep going," Paul said. "We can't just stay here waiting for that monster to find us. Come on, we didn't escape from the island just so some monster could eat us! Kindra wouldn't want us to give up!"

Bobby nodded. "You're right, we can't give up."

Matilda nodded. "Can you row Bobby?"

Bobby looked at the oars and seemed confused.

"How do we row with hooves?" Bobby asked.

Paul grinned. "We use our mouths."

Bobby looked at his front hooves and nodded. "Okay, that's a little weird but I guess it can work."

Alexander rubbed up against Bobby. "I'm glad you're okay Bobby."

Bobby smiled. "So am I."

"Are you okay to row?" Matilda asked.

Bobby nodded. "My head hurts but I can put up with it. Paul and Alexander need a break."

Matilda nodded and she and Bobby started rowing.

They continued rowing as the sun sank lower in the sky, the temperature dropped and they were getting tired. The longer days the time of year afforded them seemed all the more a blessing. The idea of doing this at night was not one they wanted to consider.

Bobby's head was starting to feel a bit better. Their stomachs however were grumbling even more. He was unsure how long they were going to be able to keep this up before a promising site filled him with hope. They could see land on the horizon!

Moments later, they heard a splashing at the side of the boat. Bobby and Matilda released the oars as the group walked over to the side to see what it was.

Bobby's eyes went wide when he peered over the size of the boat and saw a seal bobbing up and down in front of him.

His sense of smell told him that this was the same seal from before. He couldn't help but smile not just at seeing a familiar and friendly face but also at remembering that his donkey senses and instincts indeed had some advantages.

"You're almost there," the seal barked. "Your friend is safe on land and will meet you that way. I will guide you to her."

"Wait, how do you know her? Who are you? How is Kindra safe?" Bobby asked.

"I can't reveal who I am just yet," the seal barked.

"You're not a normal seal," Bobby said.

The seal grinned. "I am a seal at the moment as you are donkeys at the moment. However, it is accurate to say that I was not born this way."

Bobby cringed a bit when his headache flared somewhat.

"Let me help you with that," the seal barked. "Lean over just a bit."

Bobby did so and she swam closer to him, reached up and out of the water just enough to kiss Bobby on the lips for a few seconds. His headache disappeared almost instantly, leaving him feeling relieved and happy. He couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you. I feel much better now," Bobby said.

"I'm happy to help," the seal barked. "Now, let's go find your friend."

"Wait, how can she be safe? She was still on the ship when that monster whale attacked," Alexander said. "She distracted it while we escaped. We thought she was dead."

He hung his ears at the memory of seeing the ship going down in flames as the whale continued its attack.

"I was able to help her escape," the seal barked.

"Thank you for helping her," Matilda brayed.

"Who was that whale that attacked us?" Alexander asked.

"It's a long story," the seal barked.

"Can we hear it?" Alexander asked.

"Maybe we should get to land first," Bobby said. "It's getting dark."

He grabbed an oar with his mouth before Matilda did the same. The seal swam ahead and just to the right of the boat as the former boys followed. It was again slow and tiring but the land in the distance growing closer motivated them to continue.

Fatigue however was starting to slow Bobby down.

"Hey Bobby, if you're tired, we can row for a while," Paul said.

Bobby and Matilda stopped rowing.

Matilda brayed that she could indeed use a break.

Bobby wanted to say that he could use a break. Thoughts of Peter and Gordon however had him wondering if it was fair. If they were with someone that was cruel and didn't care, they wouldn't get breaks even if they needed them.

"I'm okay," Bobby said.

"Matilda, I can row for you if you want," Paul said.

Matilda nodded and stepped away from the oar. Paul walked over to it, looked at Bobby and grinned.

Alexander looked back at Bobby. "Are you sure you don't want me to help Bobby?"

Bobby nodded.

"I'd offer to race you but I know we need to row at the same time," Paul said.

Bobby smiled back.

"I know I might not always say this Paul but it actually does help that you're able to find some fun in this," Bobby said.

"Glad to help," Paul said.

They resumed rowing.

"Do you still want to hear the story about the whale?" the seal barked.

"Yes," Alexander said.

Bobby still found it amazing that he could understand what the seal was saying. He wondered if they'd lose that ability should they ever get to be boys again.

"That whale was as angry as he was because an older man and a boy made of wood recently escaped his clutches," the seal barked. "He's been after everyone and everything he can find since. I'm afraid your escape may have only made him angrier."

"I wish we could do something to stop him," Alexander said.

"I may be able to enlist the assistance of others that live in the sea," the seal said.

"Are the wooden boy and old man okay?" Alexander asked.

"They are well but it was a close call," the seal barked.

Bobby's ears stood high when he realized that he'd seen that wooden boy on the island. He'd wondered how such a boy could exist. The things he'd seen and experienced over the past days however had opened his mind. It seemed that almost anything was possible. It was a revelation both frightening and at the same time inspiring. Knowing that at least one other boy had escaped also felt good.

"I remember that boy now," Alexander said. "He was hanging out with an older boy that I remember from school. I think his name was Candlewick. I remember he was always getting into trouble. He only seemed to care about having fun, even if it was the bad kind. I remember seeing him as a donkey on the docks."

Alexander hung his ears.

Bobby remembered the boy as well. He remembered the boy's name—or perhaps nickname—was actually Lampwick. Some said it was because he was the tallest boy in school, others said it was because he was the brightest. Bobby realized that Pleasure Island must have had an allure that would have been impossible for that boy to resist.

Despite Lampwick's behavior, it still saddened Bobby that Lampwick was among the many frightened donkeys that'd ended up in the crates.

"While it is a difficult consequence for him to endure, please understand that his actions as well as his rejection of virtue is why he became a donkey," the seal barked. "When one behaves as a donkey for long enough, the donkey is all anyone that sees them will see."

Alexander hung his ears. "But, we're more then just donkeys! We've learnt our lessons. Can't you change us back?"

"I understand your desire to regain your forms," the seal barked. "Please understand that the spell that did this to you is powerful. Changing you back is not as simple as it seems."

"But, it's not impossible," Alexander said. "Why won't you help them?"

Bobby wanted to warn Alexander that it was perhaps not a good idea to question someone that apparently had a significant amount of power over their futures.

At the same time, forcing them to live as donkeys seemed cruel. What the Coachman was doing was terrible enough. Someone that had the power reverse it—even if doing so was difficult—but choosing not do was difficult to understand.

"Even without the spell that did this to you interfering, before the other boys can regain their forms, they must prove themselves possessing the virtues worthy of those forms," the seal barked. "Until they can show themselves as possessing those virtues, they must remain donkeys."

Bobby understood the practical reason behind them becoming donkeys as well as the—perhaps unintentional—moral reason.

On the other hand, he knew that even if someone changed them back, he knew that unless they learnt a lesson from the experience—beyond avoiding such behavior only out of fear—that many of the boys could well eventually again find themselves in trouble sometime in the future.

As well, there were at least some—Lampwick included—that may well have grown up to be bad people as adults.

Bobby also knew that in some cases, as odd as it seemed, there were boys that would happier as donkeys.

"But, if we're showing we're good, then can't we go and stop the Coachman?" Alexander asked.

"The Coachman is elusive," the seal barked. "We may well have to wait until the next time he runs Pleasure Island."

So, that was indeed it. They were going to be stuck like this for some time. It was a relief in one sense. Bobby indeed, still needed a chance to be something less serious. On the other hand, the longer they spent as donkeys, the harder it could be avoid being one on the inside.

"But won't being a donkey make learning to be a good boy even harder?" Alexander asked. "What if they can't? What if _we_ can't?"

"Do not lose faith," the seal barked. "Living as donkeys will be challenging," the seal barked. "But do not lose faith. They might yet find the redemption that will allow them to once again be boys when the time is right."

"I want to go home but I still want to help," Alexander said. "Maybe we can still do something because we can still talk."

"Kindra will know what to do," Matilda said.

It took a while longer but they eventually made it to land as it was starting to get dark. They could see lights from a nearby town as people started lighting lanterns and other sources of light.

Matilda grinned a happy grin and brayed a happy bray when she saw Kindra standing on the shore waiting for them.

Everyone's focus on Kindra was enough of a distraction for the seal to swim away unnoticed.

Matilda leapt off the boat and over to Kindra, kicking up sand as she ran. She leapt up and hugged Kindra, braying with happiness as they re-united.

Kindra patted Matilda's back and smiled.

"I'm glad to see you to."

Bobby, Alexander and Paul followed soon after.

They all approached Kindra. Elation that she was all right allowed a happy bray to escape Bobby's mouth. Such a display would normally have shocked him but right now, he was too happy to worry about it. Humans after all laughed and made other sounds that weren't words as ways of expressing emotions.

"I'm relived you guys are all right as well," Kindra said. "Believe me when I say that beast gave me quite the scare."

Paul grinned. "That thing was the fucking devil or something and it only gave you a scare? What are you, the bravest person in the world or something?"

Kindra chuckled and patted Paul. "Mind your language please. To answer your question, yes I was frightened but I knew I had to fight past that fear, as you three did when you escaped the island."

"Sorry," Paul said with a grin while lowering an ear to the side.

"That seal said she helped you escape," Alexander said. "Who is she?"

Paul looked back toward the water. "Speaking of the seal, where did she go?"

Bobby did a quick run down to the water and looked around. Indeed, the seal was gone.

"That's weird," Bobby said. "It's like she just disappeared."

As he walked back, he became aware that some of the sand from the beach was sticking to his fur, especially his belly. It reminded him that he wasn't wearing anything.

His lack of clothing hadn't seemed an issue when they were escaping but now that they were back on the mainland, he knew it could become one. At the same time, he also knew that it only needed to be as much of an issue as he and everyone else allowed it to be.

He walked back over to the group.

"She most likely did," Kindra said.

"Who is she? Who are you, I mean, who are you really?" Bobby asked.

"You've seen that I posses some abilities beyond what many would consider normal?" Kindra asked.

Bobby nodded. "Are you a witch?"

"Not exactly," Kindra said. "The seal you saw isn't what she appears to be—at least in the sense that she wasn't born a seal."

Bobby nodded. "That's what she told us. So, what is she really?"

Kindra smiled. "At that moment, she was a seal. Any form she chooses to take is as valid as any other."

"So, our donkey forms are just as valid as us being boys?" Paul asked.

Kindra nodded. "In the same way your forms as boys were just as valid as your forms as infants. Your donkey forms as simply a different path then what one would generally expect."

"It's not a path I want to go on," Alexander said. "I guess I hafta stay this way until we can find and defeat the Coachman. You can help us to stay good on the inside, right?"

Kindra patted Alexander. "I will do everything I can."

"Your friend must be someone special. My head hurt and she was able to make the pain go away by kissing me," Bobby said.

"Oh dear," Kindra said. "How did you hurt your head?"

"When the whale made the boat fall, I hit my head when we landed," Bobby said.

"Well, I'm glad you're all right," Kindra said. "To answer your question, yes, she is someone special."

A cool wind was starting to blow. It rustled the leaves of the trees around them and carried with it a scent similar to a campfire as well as food cooking. Bobby's ears picked up the sound of laughter as well as the scent of tobacco.

"Sounds like someone's having a party," Paul said.

Alexander's eyes went wide. "Does that mean we'll be hearing brays soon?"

Kindra smiled and shook her head. "Mostly likely not; they're probably just relaxing after work."

Bobby nodded.

"So, who is your friend? How do you know her?" Bobby asked.

"She's a powerful being, someone with abilities far beyond my own," Kindra said. "I'm a sort of apprentice to her."

Alexander explained the seal's reasoning for why he and the others needed to remain donkeys.

"I am again sorry that this happened to you," Kindra said. "Perhaps my friend allowed us to meet so she could better understand you."

"Do you think if she understands boys better that she'll want to do more to help us and the others?" Bobby asked.

Kindra nodded. "Perhaps she will. But I believe that she also wants us all to learn something from this as well as to work towards solving our own problems as best as we can."

Bobby nodded,

"It's getting dark," Kindra said. "We should get to my place. Then we can figure out what's next."

"You can ride me if you want," Bobby said. "You did a lot of nice stuff for us. It seems fair we should too."

"I'm sure you're tried," Kindra said. "I don't want to overwork you."

"People might know something strange is going on if we don't," Matilda brayed.

"I'll be all right," Bobby said.

"All right then," Kindra said. "But say something if you get too tired. Although, I advice keeping your voices down. There's no telling how people might react to talking donkeys."

Bobby nodded and Kindra climbed onto his back. Her weight felt a little strange but at the same time, again using his strength felt good.

"Now, I have plenty of oats, hay and nice clean water for you boys back home," Kindra said. "Something tells me you're probably all hungry."

Matilda brayed and Bobby, Paul and Alexander all nodded before they were on their way.

As they started walking, two figures watched them silently from the bushes.

The three had thought they'd escaped and were now safe.

Those boys—donkeys had made fools out of the two. Their escape was an insult, an insult the duo was not about to allow to go unanswered.


End file.
